Drug Policy
- The Turkish strategy’s emphasis is on drug demand and supply reduction.
- Its key areas focus include: preventing access to drugs; taking measures in relation to educational institutions; identifying target groups; anti-drug counselling units; strengthening treatment for drug dependence; social reintegration; scientific advisory boards for anti-drug activities; anti-drug decision support systems; legislation for anti-drug activities; coordination and cooperation; communication with the public; and diagnosis and laboratory services.
Treatment Services
- Current treatment objectives emphasise help drug users to access available services that satisfy established standards and protocols.
- Drug treatment is provided through the Alcohol-Substance Addiction Research, Therapy and Education Centres (AMATEMs), psychiatric clinics of public hospitals under the Ministry of Health and university-based treatment units. Some private hospitals also provide treatment provisions.
- These institutions normally provide both inpatient and outpatient care.
- Treatment services are usually paid for by the state through social or health insurance funds.
- Most drug treatment services treat addiction more generally, inclusive of both alcohol and illicit drug use.
- The primary approach of treatment services is to help clients become drug-free.
- Detoxification is a key focus. It is often complemented by other interventions, such as motivational interviewing techniques, as well as cognitive therapies. The latter look to prevent relapse.
- There is the availability of pharmacological treatment with opioid agonists or an antagonist.
- Short-term residential treatment is offered by some treatment centres and NGOs treatment communities.
- Opioid substitution treatment (OST) using buprenorphine-based medication has been available since 2010. Methadone and levacetylmethadol (LAAM) are also available.
- All treatment centres licensed by the Ministry of Health can implement OST.
- The majority of the cost of OST medication is covered by general health insurance. Clients contribute the difference, which is usually around 20%.
Prevention Services
- Prevention interventions encompass a wide range of complementary approaches.
- The main prevention initiatives focus on increasing people’s awareness of drugs and information dissemination.
- Several interventions aim to increase individual and social skills among young people. Others target vulnerable populations.
- Universal drug prevention interventions are carried out in schools.
- There are several NGOs that support prevention interventions which target young people.
- Prevention methods used include seminars, discussion panels and conferences, as well as counselling support services.
- Manual-based programmes are rare.
- School counselling centres provide family-oriented prevention.
- Prevention initiatives usually informative campaigns at the community level.
- Selective prevention interventions are limited. Those that do exist generally aim to raise awareness and provide access to information.
- Social assistance and treatment referrals to for homeless children and young people can be provided by Social Services Centres.
- Indicated prevention are currently undeveloped.
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