An elusive partnership. The Orthodox Church and the substance abuse health care system in Romania

This article is part of a research dedicated to the participation of religious communities in the advancement of the system of services provided for the persons suffering from substance use disorders in Romania. The first part presents an epidemiologic image of alcohol consumption and the amount of attention paid to it in the national anti-drug strategy. The second part summarizes the problematics of the contributions brought by faith-based organisations to public health, particularly in the field of substance use disorders and addictive behaviours, and describes some of the Romanian Orthodox Church sponsored initiatives in the domain. The promises and uncertainties of an inchoative partnership between the Church and the National Anti-drug Agency are scrutinized through documentary analysis in the final part.