Health Fair and Race Against Drugs at Vallarta's Sports Stadium Psychologist Ma. Beatriz Barron Hernandez - Juvenile Integration Center
June 27, 2014

According to the World Drug Report 2013 from United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), marijuana is the illicit substance most consumed all over the world, since 180.6 millions of people, that is to say, 3.9 percent of the population between ages of 15 to 64 are Cannabis users.

Additionally, the World Health Organization (WHO) emphasizes that alcohol consumption causes nearly 2.5 million of deaths per year and indicates that this licit drug occupies the third place among the main risk factors for premature death, disability and sickness worldwide. In Mexico, there are at least 17.3 million of active smokers between the ages of 12 and 65, according to the National Addiction Survey 2011.

To mark the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking established on June 26, 1987 by the General Assembly of the United Nations, Juvenile Integration Center will carry out for the first time the National Race Against Addictions, a sport event in which almost every Center in the country will participate.

The starting signal will be on Sunday, June 29 at 7:00 am, simultaneously in 31 states of the country, 54 cities, including a cyclist event in Zacatecas. There will also be carried out, in several headquarters, activities to strengthen the physical and mental health of the participants and to transmit the prevention and treatment services from the Juvenile Integration Center.

The races will be carried out in cities where the Juvenile Integration Center has its facilities; some will be held at local level and others at state level. It is important to mention that practically all Operating Units will join the event.

In the Juvenile Integration Center we are convinced that sports help to promote more favorable environments, contributes to create thoughts and behaviors focused on self-care and decision making, decreases violent behavior development, and strengthens the sense of well being.

The main headquarters of the sport event will be in Mexico City, in Delegación Benito Juárez esplanade, with the next categories: 5 and 10 kilometers race, and 3 kilometers walk. Likewise, on the previous Saturday to the race, a Health Fair will be installed with 40 institutions and enterprises participating with the object of promoting healthy life-styles.

It should be emphasized that on the Race Against Addictions 10th edition held in Delegación Benito Juárez, eight thousand people and runners from Mexico City, Morelos, Puebla, Hidalgo and Estado de México joined the race. This was accomplished with the coordinated actions from 48 public, private and social bodies, as well as the 19 Operative Units of the Juvenile Integration Center located in Mexico City.

In Puerto Vallarta, the race will be at 8:00 am on Sunday, June 29 at Agustín Flores Contreras Sports Unit. Several institutions such as Centro Nueva Vida, COMUSIDA (Municipal Committee in AIDS prevention), IMSS #170 Clinique, ISSSTE, Instituto Municipal de la Mujer (Municipal Woman Institute), Infant protection (DIF), among others, will also participate at this location to hold a "Health Fair."

For more information about the National Race Against Addictions please visit CIJ.com and and select Puerto Vallarta on the map.

We are eager to see you on Sunday!

Translated by Karla Beatriz Martínez Barrón

Read related story and race details: Run the Race for 'International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking' 

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