A drug user since the age of… 11. And yet, the youngest member of the Agia Skepi juvenile rehabilitation program entered the therapeutic community at just 12 years old, after a year of regular cannabis and methamphetamine use.

The figures provided to Alpha by the Center’s Clinical Director, Tina Pavlou, are shocking.

“The waiting list has grown. For the first time, we have a waiting list for the juvenile program as well, and this is concerning. It has 15 beds; for the first time, they’re all full, and there are five minors on the waiting list.”

SEE ALSO: New types of drugs flooding into Cyprus are causing alarm; authorities are on high alert

The ages of the children entering the rehabilitation program range from 13 to 19 years old. Of the 16 children, three are girls, and the youngest user is an elementary school student.

“This year we had a 12-year-old boy who had already been using drugs for a year before we met him. He was using cannabis and methamphetamine.”

Opioids cause permanent damage

Commenting on the import and supply of opioid drugs on the market—which have increased significantly in recent months—Ms. Pavlou noted that their use causes permanent damage.

“Very large quantities of these drugs have entered the market, which is extremely alarming because they are among the most addictive. They lead to physical dependence, which means permanent damage in the long term.”

The Drug Enforcement Agency Takes a Step Forward

Over the past ten days, the Drug Enforcement Agency has dismantled the operation that the Indians appear to have set up across Cyprus, preventing the distribution of large quantities of dried poppy bulbs on the market. To date, over 60 kilograms have been seized, and 15 arrests have been made.

READ ALSO: How the YKAN dismantled an Indian ring that advertised opiate drugs via TikTok

This particular drug appears to have been imported via Germany at a price of 40 euros per 250 grams, while it was sold for double that price.

Watch Erika Kavazi’s report: