A LETTER FROM HOME

According to the United Nations’ World drug report 2021, “drug use killed almost half a million people in 2019, while drug use disorders resulted in 18 million years of healthy life lost, mostly due to opioids. In 2020, around 275 million people have used drugs, up by 22% from 2010.”
The devastating effects of drug use have not been stemmed since last century to date. To date there are not reliable solutions.

San Patrignano is an Italian long-term drug recovery residential community, considered among the largest worldwide. 26,000 people hosted since 1978, more than 4,000 years of prison converted in rehabilitation programs in 25 years.

These photos are part of an ongoing project on the rehabilitation, educational and personal journey of residents. Since 2021, I spent on average two days per month with residents who work in the kennels, one of the 35 activity areas of the community.

At every moment residents face their own limits and frailties. The "senior" residents, nearing the end of their journey, try to help the "young" ones to recognize the mechanisms of addiction and get away from the cage of the negative habit. Sharing emotions is the key.

For the first year, letters represent the only contact with the outside. Sometimes is not simple to read them, expecially the first ones. There are often human relations to be reconstructed, or, at least, to be understood, particularly within the family. It is hard to overcome anger, so writing a letter means finding the courage to be true, accepting one's own and others' weaknesses, breaking free.

It is a hard, deep and long fight with not predictable ending. But it’s worth it, Always.