Newsroom
The Cypriot Parliament has unanimously approved a resolution guaranteeing the right of people struggling with drug or substance addiction to immediate access to treatment, signaling a shift toward treating addiction as a health issue rather than a criminal matter.
The resolution, proposed by MPs Kyriakos Hatzigiannis and Rita Superman, obliges the state not only to recognize addiction as a serious social problem but also to actively ensure that affected individuals receive the support they need.
Hatzigiannis emphasized that the state can no longer rely on “general theoretical formulations” and must take concrete action to uphold this right.
Supporters of the resolution highlighted the real-life challenges faced by families affected by addiction. DIKO MP Zacharias Koulias spoke of mothers encountering “tragic situations” when seeking help, sometimes being pressured to sign their children into psychiatric care. “This is not the solution,” he said.
Rita Superman of DISY added that Parliament is sending a clear message: drug users should not be punished or stigmatized but given immediate access to protection and support. AKEL MP Irini Charalambidou called for a review of legal procedures to protect both parents and dependents, emphasizing that mothers should not be forced to testify against their children to access help.
The resolution also points to shortcomings in current treatment programs and underscores the need for legislative reforms to ensure that addiction is addressed as a public health concern, not a criminal one.
