Drug abuse amid the COVID-19 pandemic

In Mexico, drug abuse could worsen as a consequence of the lockdown imposed to halt the spread of COVID-19, as hundreds, perhaps thousands, of people stopped receiving treatment because they could no longer attend drug rehabilitation centers, which shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic or because their meetings are now virtual.

Experts from the National Commission Against Drug Abuse (Conadic) not only alerted about the possibility of an increase in drug abuse among Mexicans but also about the relapse among those who were already undergoing treatment or some type of rehab, as well as for those who path towards rehabilitation became more difficult because of the lack of control or mentoring.

However, we have to acknowledge that the Mexican government does not monitor these issues, authorities don’t know what happened to the people who went to therapy or self-help meetings. The main issue is not that drug abuse is the federal and state government’s direct responsibility because many of these places are autonomous, such as Alcoholics Anonymous.

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Since there is no control over rehabilitation centers, many of then no longer serve their purpose. Moreover, in recent years they have been targeted by criminal organizations and several massacres have taken place.

Drug abuse is a problem that has worsened over the years; however, governments have failed to respond. If the current government wants to eradicate drug abuse, it must be aware that its strategy must go beyond prevention campaign, although they are necessary; nevertheless, the situation is quite complex, it affects society, and governments and society must prevent minors and teenagers from falling into drug abuse. Nevertheless, despite the age of a person who is abusing drugs, their recovery must become a priority; therefore, it is crucial not to abandon their treatment, something that was not considered when the majority of activities came to a halt amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

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