Desirable treatment or a problematic drug scene? – An interview study of patients’ and professionals’ views on the risks and benefits of liberalized opioid agonist treatment

Patient and staff perspectives were relatively congruent as they highlighted substantial risks regarding drug dealing at OAT clinics and were ambivalent toward the liberalization of OAT guidelines and the increased access to OAT. Liberalization impacted both patients and staff in their everyday lives and in professional practice, in a setting where OAT is both a desirable treatment and sometimes the basis of a problematic drug scene.