A total of 70 minors have been referred to treatment centers for substance dependency over the past three years, 2023-2025, while in 2025, nine minors are receiving treatment at the Inpatient Treatment Center in Latsia, with five expected to complete the programme before the end of summer.
According to data obtained by the Cyprus News Agency (CNA) from the Monitoring and Research Department of the Cyprus National Addictions Authority (NAAC) in 2023, 112 adults aged between 18 and 24 and 26 minors under 18 were referred to treatment centers, and the following year, in 2024, 92 adults and 29 minors.
Moreover, from the beginning of 2025 until today, 19 adults have been referred, as well as 15 minors.
According to the figures, 16 adults completed the rehabilitation programme in the years 2023 and 2024.
Specifically, out of the 26 minors referred in 2023, 11 have completed the programme, while in 2024, out of the 29 minors, only five completed the programme.
It is noted that no data has been recorded yet for 2025.
The treatment requests for minors under 18 years old were 40 in 2021, 62 in 2022, and 48 in 2023.
It is noted that referrals to Centers for substance addiction treatment concern open therapeutic programmes, which predominantly host adults, as well as the Inpatient Center, which exclusively hosts underage users up to 18 years old, students, or children who do not attend school.
In Nicosia there is the Perseas Addition Counselling Centre for Adolescents and Families, as well as Prometheas in Limassol while Larnaca hosts the External Dependency Structure for minors with substance use and/or alcohol abuse problems “Deciding Under Eighteen“, “Tolmi” is in Paphos, and “Achilleas” in Famagusta.
The Inpatient Treatment Center for minor users, which began operations in 2019, is managed by “Agia Skepi” and is located in Latsia, Nicosia.
The Cyprus News Agency has contacted the Director of the Therapeutic Community “Agia Skepi” and the scientific coordinator of the programme at the Inpatient Center, Tina Pavlou, who stated that in recent years there has been an increase in referrals of minors. However, she estimates that the increase is related to the fact that more people are gradually becoming aware of the programme, as it has only been in operation for five years.
She said a high number of referrals of minors has been recorded in the last two years by the Drug Law Enforcement Unit of the Police, while a steady flow is recorded in the referrals coming from the Welfare Office or from the users’ own families.
According to Pavlou, for 2025, there are nine minors at the Center for Internal Inpatient Care programme, six of whom are in the closed programme, while the other four are in reintegration. She noted that the duration of the programme ranges from six to nine months, although it can vary based on individual needs.
When asked if there have been interruptions in the programme, she stated that a large number of individuals have interrupted the programme since its inception. However, she added that over the past two years, “there have been significantly fewer interruptions and relapses,” and “there is a stability in terms of staying in and completing the programme.”
“When they choose to stop at any time, they can reintegrate into the programme. There are children who relapse, but at some point, they return for treatment,” she explained.
Regarding education, Pavlou said that the majority are being home schooled, with teachers sent from the Ministry of Education.
She emphasised that no child will be left outside the educational framework, noting that for the past five years, they have been taking in minors who are out of school.
Pavlou added that the children who are inpatients attend classes and then participate in a recreational programme, which includes- among other things- music and art lessons, as well as sports activities.
She conveyed the message that detoxification “cannot succeed if the system does not cooperate,” noting that “Agia Skepi” would not have been effective on its own without the very close collaboration with the Drug Law Enforcement Unit, the Police, the Welfare Services, and the Ministry of Education.
Pavlou urged families to reach out for assistance promptly, stressing the importance of support from services to aid them in managing their challenging responsibilities.
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Source: CNA
