Views and models about addiction: differences between treatments for alcohol-dependent people and for illicit drug consumers in Italy.

Treatment of people who are alcohol-dependent and treatment of users of illicit drugs differ remarkably in Italy, in keeping with the perception of the general public that drinking alcoholic beverages is a time-honored behavior, while consumption of illicit drugs is a deviant behavior. From a clinical perspective, the treatment for alcoholism essentially stands on the principle of free choice, motivation to change, and a family approach, while the treatment of people who are illicit drug users is characterized by control, pharmacotherapy, and individual therapy approaches. From a socio-political viewpoint both were established in the 1970s, the former being a "bottom-up" movement that started as "spontaneous" responses that mutual help groups and a few clinicians and institutions gave to alcoholics and their families; while the latter was provided "top-down" as a political response of the Government confronting the increase of illegal drug consumption among youngsters.