Mexico (Mexico City) – 12 July 2024. Since the age of 19, Diego, a 44-year-old man from Oaxaca, Mexico, has struggled with a substance use disorder. Now, nearly 25 years later since his substance use began, he is receiving treatment at the Centros de Integración Juvenil (CIJ) - Iztapalapa Poniente, Mexico City.
As also outlined in the World Drug Report 2024, Africa, Central America and the Caribbean and South America have the largest proportions of young people in treatment for drug use. Drug use disorders at a young age are particularly concerning, because they can lead to a vicious circle, including lower educational attainment and impaired chances of social reintegration.
This was certainly the case for Diego. Now a freelance guitarist, he says his alcohol and marijuana consumption has had an impact throughout his life, causing him to abandon his music studies and subsequently bounce from job to job.
He adds that communicating is challenging. “Interacting with other people and assertive communication is difficult for me.”
Diego is one of the many thousands of patients who have undergone treatment and transformation at the Centros de Integración Juvenil (CIJ). The facility is dedicated to the prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation of people with drug use disorders, as well as scientific research and the training of addiction specialists.
Founded in the late 1960s to address drug use among young people, CIJ promotes mental health and addiction prevention through equitable, equal, and non-discriminatory therapeutic services for mental and substance use disorders. CIJ emphasizes community participation as a core element of its preventive programme. Each year, over 8,000 volunteers contribute their time and expertise to CIJ's efforts, working to transform their environment, promote healthier conditions, and prevent psychosocial risk factors associated with drug use.
CIJ belongs to the Latin American & Caribbean Working Group on Drugs, supported by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Convened by the Vienna NGO Committee on Drugs (VNGOC), the Working Group aims to strengthen civil society action on drug related matters and the implementation of joint international commitments in Latin America & Caribbean.
CIJ routinely contributes to the work of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) and the UNODC, including through oral and written contributions.
Diego says that the services he receives at CIJ have been “immensely helpful, especially the workshops on life skills and relaxation techniques.
“At this institution they have helped me understand the multiple causes of the disease, its effects on the brain, impact on physical health and alternatives for its treatment,” he adds.
Diego participates in the “Clubs for Peace” project, which helps 70,000 individuals a year to take control of their well-being through physical, educational, cultural, artistic, and recreational activities.
For Diego, the carpentry workshop serves as recreational therapy, with the sanding and building of furniture helping him to manage his anxiety. The gastronomy workshop introduced him to a previously unfamiliar area, providing a satisfying new skill. Additionally, the urban gardening workshop teaches participants how to make compost and prepare soil depending on the type of plant or seed being planted.
To further enhance their CIJ's capacity, UNODC Mexico is planning a series of forums for CIJ personnel in August 2024 to help them better connect their work to the 2030 Agenda and achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
