By Carola Rico
The Institutional Board, made up of Municipal and State bodies and several civil associations of San Miguel de Allende, have joined forces to prevent addictions in the children and youth of this municipality. They are implementing the second phase of Iceland’s Planet Youth, and will draw health strategies from it for young Sanmiguelenses. They will work with families, schools, and friends with whom the children coexist and are active.
On May 3, the members of the Institutional Board were sworn in at the Instituto Sanmiguelense. The collaboration agreement was signed by Mayor Maurcio Trejo Pureco, President of the Consultative Council of the Guanajuato State DIF Adriana Ramírez, and Secretary of Health of Guanajuato Daniel Díaz. They expressed mutual support and highlighted the importance of creating conditions for children and adolescents of SMA to develop in a healthy, safe, drug-free environment.
Mayor Trejo told the adolescents present at the swearing in, “It is about us continuing on the right path, adopting good practices from other places that have worked for them. Here, too, parents have done a very good job. Planet Youth emphasizes public spaces, sports, education, and social development, which are things that I also focus on. I am working hard with Governor Diego Sinhue. Here in San Miguel, we understand what we want for our municipality, our universities, and your future, and that is what we are getting involved in.” The mayor emphasized that the health of children and adolescents is a priority for the Municipal Government.
Ramirez noted, “Actions are being carried out in San Miguel that are extremely important for the prevention of addictions… We are working across the board for our children and our adolescents… Of course, we are in favor of recreation and fun, but there are limits to everything… We are all part of the same team and we want to work for each one of you. What this Icelandic methodology tells us is to go with teenagers like you to say not to use drugs anymore. Believe me, we are going to continue doing it, but we also have to return to family values.”
Based on the program’s success in Iceland, Planet Youth has been implemented in 25 municipalities in Guanajuato State. In SMA, in particular, risk factors and the need for protection of the family have been determined. Now in its second phase, Planet Youth in SMA conducted the Well-Being survey in 2021 in the third year of secondary school to identify local risk factors and thus generate preventive community strategies. The goal is to make an addiction-free environment for young people.
The second phase promotes children and young people’s healthy use of free time. Only two out of 10 young people in San Miguel have extracurricular activities, so parents are responsible for reorienting their upbringing with care, love, and education, to assure that their children are focused on self-improvement and not on drugs.
Planet Youth has lowered drug use levels in Iceland over the last 20 years. In the 1990s, there was a high level of drug use among adolescents in Iceland. The program resulted in a 33 percent reduction of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs used (ATOD) in five years to over a 90 percent reduction in 20 years. The program was implemented in Mexico, and particularly in Guanajuato, in 2019.
The following were present at the swearing in: Secretary of Health of Guanajuato Daniel Díaz Martínez; Director of Mental Health of the SSG Manuel Aguilar Romo; Director of the System for the Integral Development of the Family (DIF San Miguel de Allende) Brisa Calderón as the Municipal Liaison; representative of the academic community Fernando Balderas Rojas; Alderman Carlos González; the head of the Sanitary Jurisdiction II Jorge Vidargas; the heads of the Offices of Public Security, Municipal Transit and Civil Protection, and the municipal institutes of Attention to Women (IMAM) and Youth (IMAJSMA ); the Office of Culture and Traditions, Municipal Sports Commission (COMUDE), Welfare and Social Development; and representatives of various civil associations.
