A review of tobacco and alcohol use literature in the native and migrant Greek community

Substance use in Greece is marked by the frequent consumption of both alcohol and tobacco. However, the problems observed in the United Kingdom related to binge drinking are largely absent. To provide insight into this difference, a comprehensive literature review of the tobacco and alcohol use behaviours within Greek host and migrant communities was conducted. To our knowledge this is the first attempt at synthesizing previous literature on this subject. A search of various research databases returned a total of 200 articles, of which 98 were used. A quality assurance element was also built into the review process. The review confirms high levels of tobacco use and consistent use of alcohol by both the younger and general population. There is little evidence of a binge drinking culture but, alcohol related road-traffic accidents remain a significant problem. The authors postulate that alcohol use is not regarded as an adult behaviour to be envied and is, therefore, not a stimulus for rebellion, but rather an act that is socially normal and unremarkable.