Overview

• Official data show stimulant-type substances, including amphetamine, methamphetamine and ecstasy, account for 49.1% of national treatment requests, surpassing alcohol and cannabis
• Methamphetamine has become the primary drug of initiation among young users, climbing from 6.0% in 2019 to 9.5% in 2023
• Fentanyl and other opioids rank as the fourth-leading cause of treatment demand in Sonora and Baja California, with roughly 500 annual cases despite a slight drop from 518 to 465 in 2024
• Federal security operations under the “operativo frontera” have seized over 55,000 kilograms of drugs and detained more than 6,100 individuals
• Health advocates urge a shift from prohibitionist policies to harm-reduction measures and expanded voluntary, evidence-based treatment to curb rising stimulant and opioid use