Cuban government admits increase in drug consumption among young people

The Cuban regime admitted this Thursday the increase in drug consumption among young people and deficiencies in the control and confrontation of this social problem.

Dr. Alejandro García Galceran, director of the Mental Health Center of Central Havana, stated in statements to the official newspaperGranma that a significant increase in the consumption of psychoactive substances has been observed in recent years, particularly among adolescents and young people, who represent the most vulnerable group.

"What is happening is that people begin to consume earlier and earlier. The first experiences are between the ages of 13 and 14, from the ages of 17 and 20 they can become addicted, and at the age of 25 there is an increase," he explained.

In addition, a phenomenon of polydrug use has been detected, where various substances are combined, which makes care and treatment even more difficult, said the expert, who added that "substance consumption is becoming, to a certain extent, a style of life in population groups".

"There is a high rate of young women who consume drugs, and are pregnant; also the marked polydrug use, because, historically, what was consumed the most in some municipalities of Havana was crack, but in recent times new chemicals have been incorporated that sometimes we are unaware of, and thus it is more complicated to face and address," he explained.

García Galceran attributed the increase in drug use to a combination of individual, cultural and social factors, including a family history of addiction, lack of authority in parenting, and social pressure among adolescents to be accepted in social groups.

The availability of substances also plays a crucial role, with urban areas and tourist areas identified as hotspots.

"Havana has always been the city with the most consumption, as have important tourist centers, such as some areas of Santiago de Cuba, Cienfuegos... with a lot of arrivals of foreigners," he highlighted.

According to the expert, despite "the efforts of the Cuban Government to prevent drug consumption," including educational campaigns and intervention programs, significant deficiencies persist in the attention and control of the phenomenon.

The country's economic situation has impacted the availability of resources and personnel specialized in mental health, especially in municipalities with a high incidence of drug use, he indicated.

"There are still failures and gaps, because the country has problems too, and we cannot separate them. The economic situation is having a great impact, for various reasons. First, care groups have decreased, there are municipalities that do not have a psychiatrist or those who directly care for the phenomenon. In addition, it is not done consistently, and the groups are sometimes weakened or lack personnel," he stressed.

Dr. García Galceran emphasizes the need to strengthen mental health departments and increase care in the most affected areas.

He also highlighted the importance of active participation of society in preventing and confronting drug use.

Last year, and after the murder of a two-year-old girl by her stepfather allegedly under the influence of the substance known as "the chemical", residents of Luyanó denounced the increase in drug consumption in that Havana municipality, and published names and addresses of sellers of this substance.

After several police raids, the regime reported at the end of the year that "almost700 people were arrested in Cuba for drug trafficking in 2023"; but Cubans denounce thatdrugs are sold at very low prices in the eyes of the inefficient government police.

However, publications on social networks suggest the magnitude of the phenomenon, with videos ofyoung people completely out of control due to abuse of these substances.

The most popular is "the chemical", cheaper than a pound of sugar, and a substance mixed with various products that is sold at low prices. It is based on cannabis and is smoked in cigarettes as if it were simple marijuana.

However, consumers are not sure about its other components, one of them toldCubanet whatThe drug is prepared with epilepsy pills, formaldehyde and animal anesthesia.

The Cuban government does not publish the numbers of people affected or deaths related to drugs.