talk about drugs

Today, June 26, is World Drug Day. With this commemoration ceremony, the United Nations reminds us how serious a problem that should be prioritized on the political and social agenda is. Given the current situation in the community, more decisive action by Generalitat can be expected. Attention is diverted to aspects outside of autonomous mandates, such as the legalization or prohibition of drugs, while their specific obligations, such as prevention of consumption or treatment of the addicted, are abandoned. these items. Unfortunately, in recent years there has been a growing lack of attention that needs to be reversed by a determined effort from Public Administrations.

It has been 25 years since the People’s Party government introduced the Law on Drug Addiction and Other Addictive Disorders in the Valencian Courts. With its development, the community was the first to integrate health services for drug addicts into the public health system. Over the years, more than 200,000 people have been treated with equal rights as other types of patients, thanks to this model of care. Today, it is a model of care that is a reference not only at the national level, but also beyond our borders.

Over time, consumption patterns have changed, making it necessary to target treatments to younger groups of greater clinical complexity. As a result, resources need to be adapted to these new scenarios. However, during the seven-year tripartite governments the number of Addictive Behavior Units did not increase and so did the hospital units. The situation is not much different from that faced by day centers and treatment communities, with the provision of places clearly inadequate for current needs. As a result of these shortcomings, only 60% of treatment demands can be met, and waiting lists for admission to these centers can exceed one year. Despite the high level of qualification of our professionals, it seems impossible to face a growing demand for care from year to year as treatment resources continue to decline steadily.

The Drug Addiction Act, which grew out of the consensus of all political groups, also chose to universalize school prevention. The lack of political prioritization was particularly evident at this level. Before the outbreak began, the Ministry of Health already acknowledged that less than a third of Primary, Secondary and Baccalaureate students had participated in prevention programs. Over 80% coverage, which was usual in the years after the law was enacted, is now over. As is logical to expect, such a dramatic decline in schooling prevention is directly related to an increase in drug use in the short and medium term. If he continues to take precautions against this abandonment of Consel, a bad future awaits us.

To achieve success, the different actors cooperating in these programs need to have a budget stability framework to carry out their actions. Twenty-five years after creating an extensive treatment and prevention network, it seems imperative that city councils, associations and councils, as well as NGOs managing prevention programs and treatment centers, plan their activities with the peace of mind of a less uncertain future. brings. . It is therefore necessary to conclude multi-year agreements for all resources without exception, abandoning the dominance of both insufficient and delayed annual subsidies.

It is time to strengthen the pillars of drug policies in the community. From taking action at school and in the family to mitigation devices for the most vulnerable populations, we need to make up for lost time. It is enough to look back and save what has fallen by the wayside, to improve what still exists. The cuts made in recent years and the impact of inflation have reduced the current budget to levels not seen in a decade. In this context, it is not possible to give an adequate answer to the drug problem. It is necessary to increase the budget effort sufficiently, or even double it if necessary. We did it then and we will do it again. This is our commitment.

Twenty-five years later, at PPCV, we continue to stand by those who suffer from this scourge, and especially the youngest. As the United Nations warns, it is necessary to prioritize attention to talk about drugs and reduce their alarming incidence in society. It is time to adopt effective responses that allow the problem to be addressed in times of crisis, such as the crises we experience. If it was possible at other times, it is possible now.