Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum said the United States is confronting a major drug addiction crisis and urged a broader response focused on prevention, treatment, and stopping weapons trafficking into Mexico. The issue matters in California, where cross-border ties and Latino families are directly connected to both public health and migration realities.
Luisa María Alcalde Luján, Legal Counsel to the Federal Executive, highlighted the fact that the United States faces a public health crisis, noting that 73.6 million Americans—25.5% of its population—have consumed illicit drugs, whereas only 3.8 million Mexicans consumed drugs in the past year.
In this regard, President Claudia Sheinbaum indicated that this acknowledgment is part of the ongoing dialogue between the two countries aimed at addressing the root causes of drug use in a comprehensive manner through public awareness campaigns. Furthermore, she noted, the U.S. government has acknowledged the critical importance of curbing the trafficking of weapons from the United States into Mexico.
“We have insisted on this point repeatedly—from the very first phone calls I had with President (Donald) Trump, and now in our interactions with the official currently responsible for this campaign and for overseeing the broader issue of drugs in the United States—who previously met with us here in Mexico—that this issue must be recognized and addressed comprehensively,” the President stated.
During the morning press conference held this Tuesday, May 12, Alcalde Luján revealed that 23.6 million Americans are currently in recovery, while 48.4 million suffer from a substance use disorder. Additionally, the Donald Trump administration acknowledged the “failure” of the punitive model and underscored the importance of preventing drug use.
“We quote: ‘The era of containment has failed. Reactive approaches have failed our communities. We must end the scourge of drug addiction by preventing drug use before it begins, providing treatment as soon as possible, and supporting those in recovery.’ This constitutes part of the strategy, and it originates from an initial letter written by the President of the United States,” the official emphasized.
The Legal Advisor noted that the actions aimed at addressing demand and preventing drug use include: a focus on education, awareness-raising, and the promotion of healthy environments—which entails a national campaign across television, radio, social media, and streaming platforms to promote health and sports, particularly among the youth population.
This also involves the implementation of school-based and community prevention programs grounded in scientific evidence. Furthermore, a key objective is to frame addiction as a disease, adopting a public health approach that prioritizes early intervention and expands access to recovery treatments.
Specifically, this entails medical care and addiction treatment oriented toward rehabilitation, psychological support, and social reintegration—encompassing employment, family life, and community engagement. It also integrates addiction treatment services into the broader healthcare system.
The strategy also champions recovery through mutual support networks, local coalitions, and community organizations—particularly within vulnerable sectors. More specifically, it outlines plans to incentivize workplaces—through certification and preparatory training—to hire individuals in recovery; to establish addiction treatment programs within correctional facilities; and to deploy analytical capabilities to generate real-time statistical data.
“Plans are already in place to integrate health data into a national system capable of generating predictive models regarding consumption patterns, shifting trafficking routes, and at-risk groups, as well as issuing early warnings. Finally, the strategy calls for the creation of emergency protocols and universal access to antidotes to treat overdoses, along with post-overdose care for the victim and their immediate circle of at-risk contacts,” she stated.
