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Understanding drug and alcohol abuse in Latin America

Drug and alcohol abuse is widespread among the urban poor in Latin America, and contributes to daily violence and fear. Substance abuse and the drugs trade may hinder peacemaking in Colombia and postwar reconstruction in Guatemala. Policy responses would be more effective if based on an understanding of community attitudes towards substance abuse.

In poor neighbourhoods in Colombia’s bigger cities, such as Medellín and Bogotá, around half the population use drugs – mainly marijuana, followed by cocaine, amphetamines, glue, petrol and paint thinner. Young males are particularly heavy users, although there are increasing numbers of female consumers. While the acceptance of drug use has grown over time, the fact that alcohol abuse has been considered normal for many years makes it a more difficult problem.

In Guatemala drug consumption levels are reportedly much lower – around 10-20 percent of the urban poor use them. However, Guatemala’s geographical importance in the drugs trade means that young people are knowledgeable about drugs. Drug abuse is rising, mainly glue and marijuana among poor people and cocaine among the middle classes.

An article from the Overseas Development Institute and the University of London, UK explores the relationship between substance use and community tolerance in low-income neighbourhoods in Colombia and Guatemala. The authors argue that projects that aim to prevent or reduce substance abuse should not be restricted to addicts but must reflect the views and tolerance levels of community members.

Participatory Urban Appraisals showed that:

Many Colombians have little faith in the police and favour vigilante violence (‘social cleansing’ or gangs) against drug dealers.
In Guatemala heavy drinking is associated with Mayans – indigenous people trapped in poverty by discrimination and the legacy of the armed conflict.
Alcohol-induced violence is linked to festivals and days when men get paid.
Parents keep children at home to prevent access to the large numbers of public spaces (for example, football pitches) where drugs are sold.
Drug use may lead some women into early sexual relationships, teenage pregnancies and prostitution.

Based on recommendations from poor people in urban neighbourhoods, the authors suggest the importance of:

moving from a research focus on the health effects for individual users to consideration of the wider social implications of drug and alcohol abuse
ending reliance on ‘experts’ and doing more to learn from those affected by abuse
funding more drug rehabilitation programmes
a greater police presence to deter drug dealers
convincing communities that vigilante action against drug traffickers can only increase violence and insecurity
using approaches based on understanding of community tolerance of substance abuse, related to specific contexts.

Source(s):
‘Drugs, alcohol and community tolerance: an urban ethnography from Colombia and Guatemala’, Environment and Urbanisation, 16 (2) pages 49-62, by Cathy McIlwaine and Caroline Moser, October 2004
‘Encounters with violence in Latin America: urban poor perceptions from Colombia and Guatemala’, Routledge Press, by Caroline Moser and Cathy McIlwaine, December 2003

Funded by: Sida (Swedish Agency for International Development Cooperation) and the World Bank

id21 Research Highlight: 21 December 2005

Further Information:
Cathy McIlwaine
Department of Geography
Queen Mary, University of London
Mile End Road
London E1 4NS
UK

Tel: +44 (0)20 7882 5415
Fax: +44 (0)20 8981 6276
Contact the contributor: c.j.mcilwaine@qmul.ac.uk

Queen Mary, University of London, UK

Caroline Moser
Poverty and Public Policy Group
Overseas Development Institute
111 Westminster Bridge Road
London SE1 7JD
UK

Tel: +44 (0)20 7922 0381/0386
Fax: +44 (0)20 7922 0399
Contact the contributor: c.moser@odi.org.uk

Overseas Development Institute, UK

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