During the #CEHRNAthens22 meeting, DrugReporter made an informative video of the visit to the drug consumption room OKANA.

Péter Sárosi has written an informative article about his experience at the CEHRN Athens meeting earlier this month, alongside a video showing an inside look at the OKANA drug consumption room.

The Organisation Against Drugs (ΟΚΑΝΑ) was established pursuant to Law 2161/93 which was passed unanimously by the Greek Parliament, and has been operational since 1995 as a legal person that is governed by private law and reports to the Ministry of Health and Social Solidarity.

Its constituent instrument stipulates that OKANA shall:

• plan, promote, coordinate and implement a national policy on prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of drug addicts
• address the drug problem at a national level, provide valid and documented information, and raise public awareness
• establish and effectively manage prevention centres, treatment units and social and professional reintegration centres

OKANA has always endeavoured to combine the roles of national coordinator and services and programmes provider in the fields of prevention, treatment and reintegration.

We are thankful to OKANA for inviting us to have a look at their way of working, and showing us their innovative technology used on site. Their drug consumption room is the first of its kind in Greece, and we hope sharing the amazing work they are doing will bring new opportunities for more, much needed, drug consumption rooms to open in Greece.