A review of the literature concerning illicit drugs, prescription drugs of abuse and their link to mental health in Greek communities

In Greece, alcohol is considered to be an important part of their culture and binge‐drinking behaviours are largely avoided. However, using other substances including illicit drugs is traditionally frowned upon. As part of our investigation into advancing our understanding of the meaning of substance use in native and migrant Greeks, we investigate prescription, over the counter and illicit drug use trends, and their link to mental health by synthesizing previous literature on this subject. A search of various research databases returned a total of 184 articles, of which 23 were used. A quality assurance element was also built into the review process. The review reveals that illicit drug use had increased three‐fold since 1984, with cannabis being the most frequently used drug by all age groups and both sexes. However, compared with other western nations, the use of opiates and cocaine is still comparatively rare and largely confined to treatment populations. We postulate that despite strong cultural disapproval, use is likely to continue to increase, especially since adolescents believe that access to such drugs is becoming easier.