Mexico Country Profile

Flag of Mexico Country Profile
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Drug policy

  • No special legislative provision for treatment and rehabilitation for people with SUD
  • Treatment for SUD is not compulsory
  • Availability of programmes that divert clients away from the criminal justice system towards treatment

Treatment and Recovery Services

  • Mexico has the National Addiction Care Network, which provides treatment in outpatient and residential modality, mainly offered by Primary Addiction Care Centers, Youth Integration Centers and Non-governmental Residential Centers.
  • Government unit responsible for treatment services for SUD
  • Budget line in annual budget of government for SUD treatment
  • NGOs provide main source of financial support for treatment services for drugs and alcohol disorders
  • Specialised treatment system for alcohol and drug use disorders
  • Psychologists, Addictologists/Narcologists and Psychiatrists are the three key health care professionals involved in the treatment of those with SUD
  • Recovery facilities are enabled to provide structured and intensive care 24 hours a day, including protected accommodation for their users and medical care.
  • Some of the therapeutic strategies that are implemented in residential establishments in the country are cognitive-behavioral therapy, the therapeutic communities model, the Minnesota model or the 12-step program.
  • There are 3 models of care, the professional care model that is provided by health professionals, the mutual aid model that is offered by groups of people who suffered from dependency and are in recovery and the mixed model that combines the mutual aid model and the professional.
  • Recovery facilities are enabled to provide structured and intensive care 24 hours a day, including protected accommodation for their users and medical care.
  • Some of the therapeutic strategies that are implemented in residential establishments in the country are cognitive-behavioral therapy, the therapeutic communities model, the Minnesota model or the 12-step program.
  • There are 3 models of care, the professional care model that is provided by health professionals, the mutual aid model that is offered by groups of people who suffered from dependency and are in recovery and the mixed model that combines the mutual aid model and the professional.

Prevention Services

  • Government unit responsible for the prevention of SUD
  • Budget line in annual budget of government for prevention of SUD
  • Federal government provides main source of financial support for prevention services
  • Prevention services available via mass media channels, school-based and community-based programmes

Harm Reduction

Harm Reduction
  • Harm Reduction programmes provided by non-governmental organisations (e.g. needle exchange)
  • Methadone and benzodiazepines used for opioid dependence for detoxification