Doctor Alejandro Sánchez addresses the Bioethical parameters of addictions

On the occasion of the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, the Coordinator of Engagement at CADEBI presented some results from the 2023 World Drug Report, which is released by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). 

As part of the second Ordinary Session of the National Mexican Academy of Bioethics (ANMB) Chapter State of Mexico in 2023, Dr. Alejandro Sánchez Guerrero, the Coordinator of Engagement at the Anahuac Center for Strategic Bioethics Development (CADEBI), took part in an introductory dialogue with the presentation titled "Bioethical Parameters of Addictions." 

During this event, he presented some of the most relevant findings from the 2023 World Drug Report published by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) on June 26th as part of the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. He connected these findings to some of the national programs related to drug issues in the country. 

This year's motto was "People First. End Stigmatization and Discrimination, Strengthen Prevention," allowing Dr. Sánchez Guerrero to link the issue of drug abuse with bioethical dilemmas in addressing substance addiction problems. He also emphasized the importance of providing high-quality preventive and curative services that respect the dignity of individuals and are delivered with empathy by healthcare personnel.

He also pointed out that the 2023 World Drug Report highlights the complex situation regarding the global drug market and the obstacles it can pose to achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It underscores the importance of institutions responsible for combating the production and trafficking of substances developing legal frameworks to counteract the financial and organizational agility of criminal groups.

 To achieve this, he emphasized the importance of prioritizing the public health model in all of this, intensifying large-scale preventive actions, and ensuring access to treatment for the entire population, particularly the most vulnerable who face economic and geographical inequality or reasons related to migration. 

In this regard, he delved into recent normative developments in Mexico, such as the establishment of the National Commission on Mental Health and Addictions, which aims to "effectively guarantee the right to mental health care and addiction prevention for the Mexican population through a community-based model with a comprehensive Primary Health Care approach and full respect for human rights" (D.O.F. 29/05/23). He also mentioned the Regulation of the General Health Law on sanitary control for the production, research, and medicinal use of cannabis and its pharmacological derivatives, which aims to regulate its production chain and derivatives for medicinal and scientific purposes (D.O.F. 21/01/21).

At the conclusion of the presentation, Dr. Sánchez Guerrero also shared some reflections on this topic, among which he highlighted the importance of continuing to develop a global bioethics perspective related to the reduction of drug supply and demand.