An Epidemic Spreads:
The Drug Crisis in Our City - Guayaquil
The 'H' is just as harmful as fentanyl
The drug known as 'H' contains minimal amounts of heroin mixed with a variety of harmful substances, including rat poison, manure, lime, cement, chalk, flour, salt, plaster, and veterinary medicines like ketamine, an anesthetic used to sedate cows and other animals. It also includes diltiazem, a drug used to control heart rhythm, coal tar used in paint manufacturing, cancer treatment drugs, fine earth, among others.
It can cause up to 80% cerebral disability.
In 2021, 67% of teenagers who sought treatment at outpatient centers in cities like Guayaquil, Durán, and Samborondón did so due to the use of drugs such as 'H'
Polydrug
Use on the Rise
In 2020, 70% of individuals aged 10 to 23 in areas like Bastión Popular in the north, and El Guasmo and Calle 8 in the south of the city, were addicted to heroin, according to the 'For a Future without Drugs' program of the Municipality of Guayaquil.
However, since January 2021, health authorities from the Municipality of Guayaquil have observed a 90% increase in polydrug use - the mixing of various substances - in this demographic.
Deadly and Affordable:
The Low Cost of a Dangerous Drug
After examining 15 samples in the past year (2021), it was found that heroin is the most prevalent component in this narcotic. In some instances, it constitutes 40% of all the ingredients, while in others, it's as high as 80%. This variance also influences the price of each small packet, ranging from USD 0.25 to USD 3."
Source: El Comercio