The community of La Sierrita, in Cumanayagua, in the province of Cienfuegos, is facing a growing problem of alcoholism among adolescents and young people, linked to the consumption of psychotropic drugs and episodes of violence during weekends, acknowledged this Saturday the official newspaper 5 de Septiembre.
With just over 4,400 inhabitants, the town is nestled at the foot of the Guamuhaya mountain range and lacks theaters, cultural centers, and regular transportation, conditions that limit recreational options for its residents.
The town square, flanked by speakers blasting music, has thus become the main gathering spot on weekends. This space also witnesses episodes of alcohol consumption of questionable origin, a mix with drugs, and instances of violence, the publication noted.
Yaismadelys Carrazana Chaviano, responsible for medical education in the area, described alcoholism as "a public health issue that is experienced collectively" and noted that the most frequent cases involve young men, although women are also affected.
The change in consumer profiles is one of the main concerns of specialists. The situation is no longer limited to the chronic adult drinker known in the neighborhood; it now extends to teenagers and young adults who mix alcohol and medications—a combination that, according to the physician, amplifies aggression and clouds judgment immediately.
The problem is also related to deep-rooted cultural patterns. In many families in the area, the initiation of alcohol consumption among young men is still viewed as a rite of passage into adulthood, a normalization that family medicine seeks to combat through prevention efforts and support from the Mental Health Teams of Cumanayagua.
Dr. Carrazana noted that consultations have been established to prevent and treat alcoholism and its consequences, although she identified the main obstacle as the reluctance of those affected to acknowledge that they need specialized help.
The consequences have already surpassed the usual weekend fights or hangovers. According to the specialist, excessive alcohol consumption leads to domestic violence and chronic diseases, and in the area, there have been reported deaths due to metabolic disturbances caused by this substance.
From primary care, professionals affirm that they also work with children and young people to prevent consumption, and that the intervention involves clinics, social workers, and community organizations.
For Dr. Carrazana, however, the answer cannot be confined to the healthcare sector. "When people stop being their own obstacle in this struggle, we will have won the final battle against alcoholism and no one will be left alone anymore," she said.
The case of La Sierrita is situated within a national context characterized by high alcohol consumption. In 2022, the National Health Survey, whose data were collected between 2018 and 2020, before the coronavirus pandemic, indicated that 73% of Cubans had consumed alcohol in the 30 days prior to the survey, compared to 67% in 2010, while 68% reported having started drinking between the ages of 10 and 19.
This scenario is further compounded by the rise in synthetic drug use. The National Toxicology Center reported a more than 200% increase in 2024 compared to the pre-pandemic period, with 600 cases recorded that year and over 90% linked to synthetic substances, according to data presented in June 2026.
In Cienfuegos, in July 2025, several members of the same family were implicated in trafficking synthetic cannabinoids concealed in sheets of school notebooks. The network affected around twenty young people, including four minors.
At the beginning of July, Cuban priest Alberto Reyes Pías, the pastor of the parish in Esmeralda, Camagüey, listed the issues that most concern him about the country, among which he mentioned the rising youth illiteracy, child labor, drug expansion, unpaid wages, elderly individuals receiving barely two dollars after long bank queues, and street violence that remains unaddressed.
Furthermore, a report from Diario de Cuba published in June warned that youth gangs are silently spreading throughout Cuba, driven by the economic crisis, poverty, and the trafficking of synthetic drugs.
Related videos:
Filed under: