Mexico: President Launches Drug Prevention Program
Mexico’s President Lopez Obrador has launched a drug prevention program to reduce the increasing drug use, specially among minors and youth.
Mexican government survey data shows drug use among minors has more than quadrupled since 2002, with more than 1 in 20 Mexicans between the ages of 12-17 saying they have consumed illegal drugs.
President Lopez Obrador launched the new drug prevention initiative called ‘Together For Peace’ to curb drug use. Mr Obrador says the programme will focus on the “wellbeing of the soul.”
The president’s drug prevention strategy is based on instilling values in the country’s younger generation. With the cooperation of the federal ministries for education, sports and culture – and volunteer social workers, the president aims to keep kids drug free by promoting the many positive alternatives available to them.
The plan is to recruit 5,000 young people to multiply the prevention messages across the country to “peace brigades”. These young people will engage with at-risk youth in schools and popular public spaces and events.
It’s very important in young people because it’s during youth that addictions are formed.
The act of talking about your problems and sharing them with other people has a big impact when it comes to the illness,” said Roberto Karam Araujo, president of Alcoholics Anonymous Mexico, as per CGTN America.