The Treatment of Drug Addiction: The Individual Caught between Public Welfare and Private Capitalism

Abstract

This article analyzes and discusses the important changes in the Danish drug-treatment sector that took place from the middle of the 1990s. The background is a general review of the drug situation put forward by the Danish government in 1994, which changed the priority between control and treatment efforts. From 1995–1996 treatment of drug addiction was given more money and more awareness from society. One of the most interesting changes was an acceptance of the use of private treatment centers as a tolerated part of the treatment system. Since 1997 the Danish counties, as responsible authorities for drug treatment, have contracted out most of their residential treatment. The private treatment institutions have supplementary financial motives besides helping and offering treatment. This has raised new problems for the individual drug user and society as to the quality and effects of drug treatment.