Drug consumption is a serious problem for society. The Community of Madrid is no stranger to this issue that occurs especially among young people. Of the people who begin outpatient treatment for substance use in the care network of the Community of Madrid in 2023, 593 are under 20 years of age (9.9%). The substance for which those under 20 years of age most frequently start treatment is cannabis (74.20%). According to the Madrid Health Service (SERMAS)last year more than 5,400 hospital admissions were recorded for disorders associated with cannabis use with diagnoses other than the main reason for admission. These figures underscore the need for a comprehensive plan for the prevention and treatment of addictions.
Along these lines, the Regional Government presented on November 4 the I Regional Plan against Drugs, which consists of 75 measures to create awareness and prevention and has an investment of more than 200 million euros. The initiative «The Joints hit your life until they destroy it»aimed especially at the most vulnerable group, young people between 14 and 18 years old, aims to address the problem from several fronts: prevention, assistance, reintegration, and surveillance.
In the educational field
The investment carried out reflects the Government’s interest in eradicating this problem at its roots and underlines the need to implement a strategy that involves all areas of the Administration, with specific measures to prevent and reduce drug use among minors. Thus, “Los Porros hit your life until it destroys it” is a very visual information campaign, which tries at all times to raise awareness among young people with messages through different communication channels and advertising spaces.
Education is the basis of the prevention strategy of the Community of Madrid. With the Plan, awareness workshops will be implemented in Primary Education, Compulsory Secondary Education and Vocational Training centers.Schools and institutes will have an anonymous mailbox to alert about the presence of drugs, thus offering a resource so that students can report confidentially. Likewise, teachers will receive specific training to detect and act on possible cases of consumption among students.
The success of this initiative will be constantly measured through data analysis techniques and geolocation tools, allowing high-risk areas to be identified and prevention to be improved in these areas. Surveys will also be carried out periodic to 3rd and 4th ESO students to analyze the impact of the measures adopted and implement them for greater success.
On the other hand, the Community of Madrid has launched the new service 012 “Against drugs”, a space that has 19 professionals 24 hours a day, every day of the year. The Social Housing Agency will develop “Your Drug-Free House”, where it will promote good neighborhood coexistence, while the comprehensive Network that coordinates the 24 devices intended for Addictions (CAT) and Drug Dependents (CAID) distributed throughout the region, will offer specialized and comprehensive care to both these people and their family environment.
This Plan provides for the opening of an Outpatient Dual Pathology Unit to assist patients with simultaneous mental health and addiction disorders. With these new resources, the Madrid Government guarantees comprehensive care, which includes the Admission Unit and the Detoxification Day Hospital for adolescents, thus covering all stages of the rehabilitation process.
Likewise, the campaign contemplates the problem in the long term, which is why it considers it a fundamental task to promote the social and labor reintegration of young people who manage to overcome their dependence on these substances. Therefore, the Renovarte program will activate workshops and activities to strengthen the job training programs and access to work as soon as possible.
A plan for the future
Beyond prevention tools, the Community of Madrid seeks to go one step further by hosting a International Forum against Drugs, with experts who will analyze and discuss the advances and challenges in the fight against addictions. This event will serve as a platform to share knowledge and improve public policies in this area, including in-person workshops or awareness-raising activities, such as popular races and different events. Thus, the capital seeks to be the headquarters and engine of the fight against drugs.
In this way, the investment and joint cross-cutting effort of all the departments of the regional Government demonstrate a solid commitment to creating a safe and healthy environment for new generations, addressing the problem of addictions from prevention through a comprehensive and multidimensional.