According to the 2024 World Drug Report by the UNODC, drug use continues to rise, reaching 292 million people in 2022, a 20% increase over the past decade. Alarmingly, nearly 64 million people suffer from drug use disorders, yet only 1 in 11 receives the necessary treatment.
Particularly concerning to the Embassy of Canada in Mexico City is the rising drug market and rate of substance addiction in the State of Quintana Roo, which is visited by over 1.5 million Canadians every year.
In response to this reality, the Consular Program of the Embassy of Canada in Mexico, together with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in Mexico (UNODC Mexico) and the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) in Mexico, organized the Workshop on the Importance of Risk Reduction and Timely Care Related to Psychoactive Substance Use. This event took place on December 3, 2024, in Cancún, Quintana Roo.
Why is this workshop important?
This workshop addressed the critical need to raise awareness and train those who work directly with individuals who use psychoactive substances. Its key objectives included:
- Implementing concrete and coordinated actions to reduce risks and provide timely care.
- Minimizing health impacts for substance users by promoting safe and effective practices.
- Advancing human rights, eliminating discrimination, stigmatization, and criminalization.
Who was this workshop for?
The event brought together key stakeholders in the care and prevention of psychoactive substance use:
- Health, security, and tourism professionals, as well as public servants working directly with users in emergency situations, medical care, and prevention.
- Policy-makers in drug-related matters from Quintana Roo.
- Civil society organizations focused on prevention and risk reduction related to drug use.
Key topics covered
Participants engaged in essential discussions designed to address this challenge with a comprehensive approach:
- Risk reduction as a drug policy.
- The connection between mental health and psychoactive substance use.
- Consular services for Canadian citizens.
- International standards for the treatment of drug use disorders.
- Institutional experiences in harm reduction and timely care related to drug use.
This workshop reaffirmed the commitment of all participants to protect the health and dignity of individuals facing challenges related to psychoactive substance use.
