By Natalia Rueda 
In Colombia, the health sector is on high alert as an increasing number of young people are facing addiction to fentanyl and other dangerous drugs. The Ministry of Health has recently issued a warning stating that 1300 cases involving the presence of fentanyl alone were reported in 2023.
This alarming trend is being linked to the emergence of new synthetic substances, which are increasingly potent and harmful. Andrés Gutiérrez, clinical psychologist and director of Semillas de Vida foundation, cautions that these substances are being sold by criminal organizations with no compassion.
“These emerging substances are from organizations with a very cruel heart and for purely economic purposes. They have no compassion to raze anyone they come across,” he noted.
Further data from January to July of 2023 reveals that 32,281 people have been treated for psychoactive substance use. In comparison, the number was only 30,000 in 2022. The most commonly consumed drugs by age range are marijuana, consumed by people aged 18-24, cocaine, used by the 16-24 age group, and heroin, found in the 20-26 age range.
Fentanyl, which has been classified as the most deadly narcotic in the world by the World Health Orgaization is also making its way in Colombia. Alarmingly, it has been linked to a few cases of intoxication.
Colombian authorities are urging parents to be vigilant and take measures to prevent their children from falling prey to illegal drug use. They are also calling for the need of improved drug policies and educational initiatives to better address the current drug crisis facing the country’s youth.
With information from Caracol Radio
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