Mexico City.- Care for fentanyl consumption in the country grew 5,080 percent from 2018 to 2023, according to a report on the Mental Situation and Consumption of Psychoactive Substances in Mexico.
According to this study presented on the occasion of the International Day to Combat Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, in 2018 only 10 people sought care for fentanyl consumption, while by 2023 518 will do so.
“We have seen that this phenomenon remains constant, especially in the northern part of the country, in some cities such as Tijuana, Mexicali, San Luis Río Colorado; Hermosillo, Ciudad Juárez. We see that the demand for care has been constantly growing,” Nadia warned. Robles Soto, director of coordination of National Programs of Conasama and the Mexican Observatory of Mental Health and Addictions.
In addition, he said, the adulteration of fentanyl and heroin with xylazine is being found, particularly in cities in the north of the country.
“Just this year we have launched an early warning for first responders and health personnel warning that people who arrive at the emergency room or require immediate attention could have consumed xylazine, which is a substance for veterinary use for which, for example, naloxone does not have an overdose reversal effect.”
Methamphetamine use on the rise
According to the same report, methamphetamine use among people seeking treatment has grown 416 percent between 2013 and 2023.
In 2023, 179,342 people were treated for substance use, of which 49.1 percent were for methamphetamine consumption; 21.8 for alcohol use; 13.3 for marijuana use and 6.8 percent for cocaine use.
Robles Soto mentioned that in 25 states methamphetamines are the main substance for which attention is requested, while in states the main one is alcohol.
“In entities such as Baja California and Sonora, opioids are among the main substances for which some type of treatment is demanded,” he added.
The main substances that people start using are alcohol, tobacco and marijuana.
“But it is striking that at least 7 percent of the people who came to treatment experimented directly with methamphetamines, which speaks of the presence of these substances at very early ages, increasing the risks.”
The specialist regretted that there is still a significant gap in the demand for care for substance use, since for every five men, one woman went to treatment.
Robles Soto added that from January to May 2024, 158,814 people were treated for different mental health conditions.
Of that total, 51.5 percent had anxiety and 25.9 had depression.
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