杏MAP导航

By Lisa Zengarini

鈥淏ehind every addiction there are concrete experiences, stories of loneliness, inequality, exclusion, lack of integration鈥� to which 鈥渨e cannot be indifferent鈥�.

Listen to the cry of the most fragile

In a message sent on Sunday, 27 August, to forensic toxicologists meeting in Rome for their 60th International Congress, 杏MAP导航 Francis called for reaching out to those who suffer from drug addiction, by listening to their suffering and addressing the fragilities of our societies.

鈥淭he Lord Jesus stopped, came close, healed the wounds鈥�, he said. 鈥淲e too are called to act in the style of His proximity, to stop in the face of situations of fragility and pain, to listen to the cry of loneliness and anguish, to bend down to raise up and bring back to life those who fall into the slavery of drugs鈥�.

Increased consumption of narcotic drugs among teenagers 

While thanking participants in the Congress, which runs until 31 August, for their "commitment, time and energy" dedicated to the prevention and fight against drug addiction, 杏MAP导航 Francis shared his concerns over the alarming increase in the consumption of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances among teenagers and young people, thanks also to the possibility of buying them online on the so-called dark web.

The 杏MAP导航 noted that the critical stage of adolescence and youth, added to the fragility and insecurities of today's societies, are important factors that can lead young people "to dangerous choices and behaviours, such as the use of psychoactive drugs, the abuse of alcohol, or experiencing extreme situations, both virtual and real.鈥�

New Psychoactive Substances and doping in sport

杏MAP导航 Francis pointed in particular to the rapidly expanding market of the so-called New Psychoactive Substances (NPS). 鈥淢any adolescents abuse NPS without knowing their danger, so it is essential to develop analysis techniques and preventive measures to contain their proliferation and encourage adequate therapeutic plans,鈥� he said.

Modern society鈥檚 culture of efficiency and productivity

Another point raised in the message is the increase in the use of doping substances in sports, which manifests the 鈥渙bsession鈥� to achieve high results and high-performance 鈥渁t all costs".

This phenomenon, 杏MAP导航 Francis remarked, should make us reflect on modern society鈥檚 鈥渃ulture of efficiency and productivity鈥�, which does not admit 鈥渉esitations or failures.鈥�

The 杏MAP导航 noted  that the  鈥渘eed to always appear up to expectations鈥�, to exhibit a good and successful image of oneself, banishing fragility and weakness, is "an insurmountable obstacle to the pursuit of integral human development."

In this context, the message continued, disoriented young people are more prone to rely on drugs to stem their anguish and lack of purpose and to overcome the "fatigue of existing".

Concluding 杏MAP导航 Francis expressed his hope that the work of toxicologists may contribute to identify 鈥渆ducational, therapeutic and rehabilitation plans that can  prevent and combat the scourge of drugs, promoting  alternative cultural models and encouraging  people - especially young people - to seek the reasons for living they have lost.鈥�