In spite of relatively recent evidence over the past decade, increasingly showing drug abuse and addiction as a chronic health disorder, arising from several factors and often displaying a relapse – remission pattern, there are still numerous instances where this is not viewed as a health problem, which is an impediment to administration of treatment and access to rehabilitation services (WHO, 2015; Ashworth, 1997).

In addition, scientific evidence points to dependence and the relapse/remission interplay as the consequence of a complex interaction involving multiple factors such as biological, social and environmental factors as well as recurrent exposure to drugs.

This has led to rising awareness among professionals concerning the biopsychosocial model of drug dependence as a multifaceted issue requiring holistic approach, integrated care increasingly becoming the norm and involving attention to not only to general individual health, both physical and mental, but also to such apparently unrelated social issues such as employment, criminal behavior, violence, housing, financial status, child care or social exclusion.