Drug addict in treatment in Cuba: "The number of young kids getting into chemicals is extremely high."

Even the official press can no longer hide the serious problem of drug addiction affecting the Island. This week, Periódico 26 from Las Tunas reported the testimony of a young man who began using pills like carbamazepine and tramadol, then progressed to marijuana, and is now dependent on the notorious "químico," a synthetic drug in paper form that is cheaper in Cuba than a soft drink.

The testimony of this young Cuban drug addict, who has just started rehabilitation and has only been clean for 15 days, is chilling. He recounts that his introduction to drugs stemmed from love when he fell for a 13-year-old girl who was already hooked, and if she took pills, he did too. They would get high, he says, before going to secondary school. The worst part is that he admits his case is not isolated. "The number of young kids using drugs in Las Tunas is extremely high," he insists, convinced that those suffering from addiction "will do whatever it takes for a hit."

As a result of his drug addiction, he suffered two cardiac arrests at ages 14 and 16, which he attributes to mixing pills. At 18, he had an embolism that left half of his body paralyzed, and doctors suspect that he suffers from schizophrenia, although until that point, no professional had connected his health issues to drug use.

The damage is now quite evident. He has worn-down teeth, diminished intellectual capacity, and significant physical deterioration, along with family problems due to the constant theft of money to buy 'the chemical,' since each small packet costs between 150 and 300 pesos. He claims to have consumed an average of 57-58 a day. He paid for them with money he took from his home and with clothing and other items sent to him from abroad.

He currently confesses that he is trying to quit the drug "because of the twists and turns it brings," but he is finding it difficult. Before going to the doctor to begin detox treatment, he took 14 hits in one go and only afterwards told himself that he was ready to start quitting.

Starting the detoxification process has not been easy because, despite staying confined at home, he managed to have drugs delivered through his bedroom window while he exchanged his clothes as payment.

However, he tells two journalists that right now he is determined to quit drugs, and that's why he shares his story, emphasizing that he has seen 12-year-olds buying the substance; he has also witnessed how a drunk reacts after smoking a little joint; he knows that there are girls and boys involved, and for that reason, he warns the doctor at the psychiatric hospital who is treating him that he has a long road ahead.