Rom, the usual rebus

The use and abuse of legal and illegal drugs is widespread among European youth. It affects the whole society but it has a deeper effect on Rom /Sinti communities because of their social exclusion, marginalization and poverty. The negative effects also spread in the areas and cities where they live, in terms of social prejudices, difficulties of integration, social security.  It is very difficult to correctly analyze and quantify addiction among Roma and Sinti. However a study of SRAP, a network of 11 EU partners, noticed similar characteristics in Europe: the drug abuse affects in a strong way young people; they start to use drugs and other substances 2 or 3 years before the general population. They do not easily accept care and treatment or get involved in harm reduction programmes because of a lack of trust among them, a lack of information and a lack of specific competences and strategies of social and health services. Indeed, they do not benefit a great deal from EU policies and programmes of primary and secondary prevention. The problem, having an European dimension, needs a European solution.