Treating Mexican Drug Addicts Doubles Since 2000 Prensa Latina
go to original May 31, 2014

Meth use by children as young as 9 is a new challenge for Mexican authorities. CNN's Rafael Romo reports. (CNNPigMine5)

The number of Mexican citizens who have received medical care or treatment by the Juvinile Integration Centers (CIJ) due to his addiction to drugs increased 81 percent from 2006 to 2013, reveals a new report.

However, according to the research, made by the newspaper El Universal, during that same period the budget dedicated to these institutions by the government only grew by 22 percent, not enough to meet the demand of patients.

During 2006, according to the publication, 18,636 young people entered these centers, but in 2013 consumption and dependence on psychotropic substances increased and nearly doubled the figure, adding a total of 33,715 in-patients who were minors with addiction problems.

In contrast, in 2006, the ICJ received 405 million pesos - 31 million US dollars - as annual budget, number that seven years later only reached 633 million pesos - almost 49 million US dollars.

This year, 115 facilities serving throughout the country children with some dependence on toxic substances received 657 million pesos, 51 million US dollars.

Despite this, relatives of several young people in the treatment centers must pay recovery fees, which can be up to two thousand dollars - more than 150 US dollars, and in each location the ICJ has to get donations, because they operate with a Board or Council.

Children and adolescents are admitted to these centres of rehabilitation because of their high intake of alcohol or tobacco, marijuana, cocaine, inhalants, stimulants, hallucinogens, depressants and opiates, among other substances.

According to El Universal, marijuana is the preferred drug by teenagers, for which consumption, 3,045 people entered in the treatment centers in 2010, while in 2013, that number was 2,965.

See the original at Prensa Latina

We invite you to add your charity or supporting organizations' news stories and coming events to PVAngels so we can share them with the world. Do it now!