Hassan turns a blister pack of tranquilisers over in his fingers. It contains tablets of Xanax, one of the few objects he still has after his stay in one of the many refugee camps scattered around the Greek islands and the mainland.
He obtained tranquilisers even though he neither asked for them nor knew what effect they had. His experience is similar to that of many other migrants who have crossed the Balkan route — one of the main paths into Europe. The widespread and uncontrolled distribution of psychotropic drugs in reception centres is not documented in official numbers. However, many migrants and activists who travelled and worked in the main cities of the route, such as Athens, Belgrade, Sarajevo, and Trieste, have raised the alarm.
Published by: euobserver.com
