Lucca and Pisa on the front line to help anyone with problems related to the use of drugs. In addition to and in parallel with the institutional paths of the Serd (territorial service for the dependencies of the north-west Tuscany ASL) exist in Lucca and Pisa 4 centers linked and coordinated by Narcotics Anonymouswhere one can participate in the meetings of mutual and mutual aid groups, exactly as happens in the better known Alcoholics Anonymous association, of which Na is a rib together with Ga (Anonymous players).

In Tuscany, apart from the 5 groups in Florence, there are 4 groups between Lucca and Pisa, one in Arezzo and the last one in Empoli, and they are all coordinated by the regional CSA. The Tuscany area service committee has the purpose of supporting members, groups and contributing to the opening of new rooms in Tuscany. “The Csa Toscana – reads the official website of Narcotics Anonymous – is formed by the active participation of the representatives of the groups, belonging to the area, to promote the common well-being and the unity of Na and fulfill its primary purpose: to bring the Narcotics Anonymous message to the addict who wants to stop using drugs. The Csa Toscana has internally developed various service structures, or sub-committees. Among these, in addition to the telephone helpline, the public relations subcommittee is active”.

The names of the groups, the numbers to call, times, locations, and all the info can be found by browsing the official website of Na a this address.

The recovery program

In Narcotics Anonymous, the approach to recovery lies in the impact of one addict’s therapeutic value helping another. Members gathered at Narcotics Anonymous meetings to talk about their experiences and recovery from addiction. Narcotics Anonymous meetings are not rigidly structured, take place in a location rented by the group, and are led by one member in turn who opens and closes the meeting. Narcotics Anonymous meetings and other services are funded entirely by voluntary contributions from members and the sale of recovery literature; We do not accept contributions from people who are not members of Narcotics Anonymous. Most Narcotics Anonymous meetings are held regularly throughout the week at the same time and place, usually in a public facility. There are 2 basic types of meetings: those open to the public and those closed, reserved for those who consider themselves addicted or think they have a drug problem. In turn, they are divided into participatory meetings, questions and answers, themed meetings, with speakers or by combining these methods. However, the purpose of a meeting is always the same: to provide a suitable and trustworthy environment for personal recovery. Addicts helping each other through recovery form the foundation of Narcotics Anonymous. Members meet regularly to share their recovery experiences. More experienced members (called sponsors) collaborate with newcomers on an individual level. The 12 Steps form the core of the Narcotics Anonymous program. These steps are a set of guidelines that provide a practical approach to recovery. By following these guidelines and working closely with other members, employees learn to stop using drugs and cope with the trials of daily life.

“Narcotics Anonymous is not a religious organization and does not endorse any particular creed,” reads the official Narcotics Anonymous website. spiritual principles such as honesty, open-mindedness, faith, good will and humility, principles that can be applied in everyday life. The practical application of these principles is left to the freedom of the individual. Recovery in Narcotics Anonymous is not a miracle cure that works within a set amount of time, but is an ongoing, individual process. Members make their own decisions to come together, and recover at their own pace.”

The testimonials

Maria (the name is fictitious) 35 years old, tells her own story in hell and back: “I spent three days in the coronary ward, attached to the respirator. I survived by a miracle. This touched me deeply, in a certain sense it brought me back to reason: desperate but grateful for having survived, I went back to the Sert of the seaside village where I had gone on vacation since I was a child. I asked for antaxone which could help me not to take drugs, to ‘handcuff’ me to cleaning, which I was unable to wear in any way. I wanted to live clean, that’s all I wanted. I think I was really ready and that’s why I found a flyer with the addresses of certain meetings posted on the bulletin board and a very simple message: ‘Do you have problems with drugs? Maybe we can help you. Call Narcotics Anonymous.’ I peeled it off and picked it up, unable even to copy it. I returned to my city from which I had been away for four years, and called; that same evening I went to my first meeting, drunk, desperate, scared. I saw a lot of people coming and going, confusion and smiles. I didn’t understand anything, but I went back to the second meeting and I remember thinking: ‘This is unlike anything I’ve ever found, here maybe I can do it.’ Between ups and downs in the end it was like this “.

Even Francesco (the name is fictitious) wanted to tell something about himself: “I went to hospital several times, I made more than one community, every now and then I scraped together what little strength I had left and I ventured to some holy man who promised to give me the solution to my problems. Each time it was a failure, the guilt and frustration attacked me more and more, I felt my life slipping away. The turning point came when my mother heard about Alcoholics Anonymous who was holding a meeting near where I lived, so I went driven by curiosity and the thought that it couldn’t get worse than that. The impact was positive, the fact that there were no professional figures in the group who told me what I should or shouldn’t do reassured me, everyone spoke for themselves and told what had worked for them. I went for some time but couldn’t stop, until in the meetings I met a guy who had been clean for a few years and who had also used drugs. He told me about a treatment center that offered the twelve step program and advised me to go there. I armed myself with what little energy and hope I had left and went. I quickly got clean, combined with a recovery program in the center with Narcotics Anonymous meetings in a nearby town. My life gradually improved, I heard about the concept of illness, forgiveness, superior power, which for a convinced atheist like me remained difficult to understand, acceptance, surrender, living just for today”.

Data from the ministry for Tuscany

In the latest annual report to Parliament, published in recent months, the Viminale’s central management for public anti-drug services painted the overall Italian, regional and local picture of the entire drug-related world. Some data from the report that we have already dealt with in the recent past: “In 2021, the regions most affected, in an absolute sense by the phenomenon, were Veneto, Emilia Romagna, Lombardy, Tuscany and Campania. Taking into consideration the macro-areas, in 2021, i deaths, detected by the police forces or reported by the prefectures, 48.46 percent are distributed in the north, 27.65 percent in the center and 23.89 percent in the south and on the islands. In the last 10 years, the most affected region in absolute sense was Emilia Romagna with 363 deaths, followed by Tuscany (351), Lazio (335), Campania (289), Veneto (286), Piedmont (278) and Lombardy (245), while among those less affected, Molise (9), Valle d’Aosta (14) are confirmed and Basilicata (17). The regions in which the largest quantities of heroin have been seized are Lazio, Lombardy, Puglia, Emilia Romagna, Tuscany, Veneto, and Campania, while those with the lowest quantities are Valle d’Aosta and Molise with less than 1 kilogram. The regions in which the largest quantities of cocaine have been seized are Calabria, Sicily, Veneto, Tuscany, Campania, Lazio and Lombardy; those with the most limited quantities are Molise, Basilicata and Umbria. The regions in which the largest quantities of hashish have been seized are Lombardy, Lazio, Piedmont, Puglia, Sicily, Tuscany and Campania, while those with the lowest quantities are Valle d’Aosta, Basilicata and Molise. The regions they have been to the largest quantities of powdered synthetic drugs seized are Lombardy, Tuscany, Lazio and Emilia Romagna. The Lazio region, with a total of 138 minors involved in drug trafficking and drug dealing, emerges, in absolute terms, compared to the others. It is followed by Lombardy, Veneto, Piedmont, Tuscany, Sicily, Sardinia and Emilia Romagna”.

In short, a not rosy picture for the Tuscany region in the field of narcotic substances.