Psychoactive Drugs: Risks and Latino Community Impact

Psychoactive Drugs and Their Impact: A Public Health Challenge with Deep Roots in the Latino Community

Psychoactive drugs are substances that, when taken or administered into one’s system, affect mental processes such as perception, consciousness, cognition, mood, and emotions. These substances include both legal substances (like alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine) and illegal or controlled substances (like opioids, cocaine, methamphetamines, and certain prescription medications when misused). “Psychoactive” does not necessarily imply dependence-producing effects, and the term is often omitted in everyday discussions, being replaced with phrases like “drug use,” “substance use,” or “substance abuse.”

Psychoactive drugs fall under a broader category of substances whose production, distribution, sale, or non-medical use is controlled by laws at national and international levels. The 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances, and the 1988 Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances form the global legal framework that governs these controls.

Health Risks and Societal Impact

Use of psychoactive substances without medical supervision can result in serious health consequences, including drug use disorders, which may lead to significant personal suffering and impaired functioning across familial, occupational, educational, and social spheres. Untreated drug use disorders significantly increase the risk of chronic illness and premature death.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA):

• In 2023, over 106,000 deaths in the U.S. were attributed to drug overdoses, the majority involving opioids—many of which are psychoactive.

• Drug use disorders are linked to billions of dollars in economic losses, primarily due to lost productivity, health care costs, and legal system burdens.

Disproportionate Impact on the Latino Community

The Latino community in the United States faces unique social, cultural, and economic challenges that can exacerbate the risks related to substance use. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the CDC:

• Latino adults are less likely than non-Hispanic whites to receive substance use treatment, even though rates of misuse—especially among young Latino males—have been rising.

• Cultural stigma, language barriers, lack of access to culturally competent care, and fears related to immigration status often prevent Latino individuals from seeking help.

• Data from the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) showed that nearly 20% of Hispanic/Latino adults reported using illicit drugs in the past year, with marijuana and prescription pain relievers being the most common.

Dr. Luis Torres, a professor at the University of Houston and expert in Latino mental health, notes:
“Latinos are often underrepresented in treatment settings not because they’re at lower risk, but because they’re under-resourced. When stigma meets systemic barriers, people fall through the cracks.”

Dr. Nora Volkow, Director of NIDA (and herself a native of Mexico), has also emphasized:
“We must expand culturally tailored interventions and remove barriers that keep minority communities, especially Latinos, from accessing evidence-based care.”

The Role of Prevention and Education

Effective responses require community-centered prevention efforts, early intervention, and bilingual outreach programs that reflect cultural values such as familismo and respeto. Promoting open conversations about mental health and substance use, particularly among Latino youth, is essential.

“Education is our first line of defense,” says Dr. Maribel Sierra, a family physician in Los Angeles. “We must empower our Latino families with accurate, stigma-free information and access to help.

The misuse of psychoactive drugs remains a complex and evolving public health issue—one that deeply affects the Latino community. Reducing the harm requires a comprehensive approach: stronger health education, culturally competent treatment options, community empowerment, and public policies that center equity.

No community should be left behind in the effort to address substance use—and that includes addressing the silent suffering within Latino households.