Living in Peru : your everyday companion

Extracted from El Comercio

It looks like the fear of going to school that some children experience could be absolutely justified.

According to a study carried out by the National Commission for Development and Life without Drugs (Devida), 4 out of every 10 students – that is, 680.340 kids – have been recurring victims of some sort of violence at school. 

However, the worst part is that this victimization is a factor that has an effect on the drug consumption index of the school-age population, due to the fact that many of the victims seek refuge in drugs as a response to their weakness and impotence.

“Students who have suffered from some sort of violence consume 36% more alcohol and tobacco, 4 times more illegal drugs and 2.2 times more stimulants and tranquilizers than students who haven’t been abused in school,” said Rómulo Pizarro, the president of Devida.

To Leon Trahtemberg, specialist in education, it is absolutely necessary that there be psychologists and specialized tutors in every school and that drug abuse prevention be an important topic in class from as soon as second or third grade. In addition, he said that social abilities such as music, theatre, math or sports should be inserted in the curriculum to avoid kids using drugs as help in establishing social relations.

Total Consumption
The study also reveals that in Peru there are 743,000 students that do drugs. Out of these, 600,000 do legal drugs; 63,000, illegal drugs; 80,000, abuse medical  or prescription drugs. The average age that these children start using is 13 years.

Amongst the social consumers, the illegal drug that is least consumed is marihuana (31%), next is cocaine (32%), PBC (35%) and ecstasy (43%). The case of the lone consumers is similar: the least consumed is marihuana (11%), cocaine (18%) and PBC (24%). The drugs that they most consume are inhalants (32%).

“The fight against drug abuse is an integral battle in which every member of society should be involved: family members, teachers, authorities and agriculturists,” highlighted Pizarro.

But it is also important that users recognize their addiction. According to Devida, 190,000 students recognize that they need treatment against their alcoholism, while 35,000 say they need  treatment for their addiction to marihuana and cocaine. 

A space to talk
The ANAR foundation (Ayuda a Niños y Adolescentes en Riesgo) through its 0-800-2-2210 line, offers psychological and legal orientation, based on children and teenager’s rights since 1994. Its director is Germán Guajardo.

Alcohol consumption often leads to drug consumption. Drug abuse is not a problem of information but that of attitude. And the fact that in Peru, we have the world’s cheapest cocaine. Every student is at risk.

Translated by Diana Schwalb