Por Redaccion 
The Department of Health and Consumption has launched a new awareness campaign to prevent behavioral addictions and the consumption of psychoactive substances. This initiative comes at a time when, during 2024, a total of 18,533 people were admitted to the Outpatient Treatment Centers (CTAs) in Andalusia for these reasons, reinforcing the need to redouble efforts in prevention, especially among the youth.
Under the slogan ‘Do you really want to risk it? No one wins in addictions, avoiding them depends only on you’, the campaign is primarily aimed at young people, adolescents, and their families, including minors close to adolescence. This action aims to alert the youth and their families about the need to stay vigilant and address the risk and protective factors related to addictions, while promoting a conscious, informed, and participative family environment in preventing these behaviors.
This initiative is supported by the use of graphic and audiovisual materials inspired by board games like Snakes and Ladders. This visual, accessible, and playful approach has a dual purpose: on the one hand, it recreates a family universe that highlights the essential role of the family in prevention and therapeutic support, and on the other hand, it symbolizes clearly how each decision in the process of addiction can either lead to recovery or loss of control, as what often starts as simple entertainment can escalate into a difficult situation.
The campaign is launched at a time when the incidence of behavioral addictions, as a result, among other factors, of the normalization in the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) continues to rise. Additionally, there is a decrease in the perception of the risks of consuming certain substances, especially among the younger population.
In response to this reality, the Department of Health reaffirms its commitment to prevention by promoting a series of measures that encompass raising awareness about the risks of substance use and problematic ICT use. This includes educational and preventive programs developed in community, family, educational, and work settings, with the goal of reinforcing protective factors and promoting healthy habits.
One of the key pillars of the strategy is the prevention of problematic use of digital technologies. From a young age, adolescents are exposed to ICT, which, while offering opportunities for learning, communication, and development, also pose significant risks such as isolation, loss of privacy, or more serious forms of digital violence like cyberbullying, grooming, or sexting.
A teenager with his mobile phone.
Therefore, in addition to awareness, the activities are also framed within a socio-healthcare model that seeks to respond to the various demands arising from drug use and other addictions. As such, the care is organized through the Public Network for Addiction Care in Andalusia, which guarantees universal, free, and direct access to all available resources.
Furthermore, within the IV Andalusian Plan on Drugs and Addictions, and in the future Strategic Plan for Mental Health and Addictions in Andalusia (PESMAA), the adaptation of intervention models to the characteristics of young people is considered. This new approach will promote the active involvement of families and associations and update prevention programs to specifically address behavioral addictions, including the cross-cutting reduction of the risk factors that underlie them.
Admissions to Treatment Indicator
Regarding the most recent data, the admissions to treatment indicator allows us to understand not only the evolution of the demand for care, but also the socio-demographic and health profiles of the individuals served. In 2024, there were 638 fewer admissions than the previous year. Despite this slight decrease, the admission percentages according to the main substance remain stable. It is worth noting the 2.5% increase in cases related to cocaine and the 1.4% decrease in cases related to tobacco.
The gender analysis reveals that the percentage of women admitted to treatment (19%) continues to be significantly lower than that of men. However, there is a higher proportion of women in treatments for the consumption of hypnotics (47.9%) and for behavioral addictions other than pathological gambling (36.6%).
Looking at the substances, cocaine tops the list of reasons for admission (33.2%), followed by alcohol (27.4%), cannabis (13.9%), and heroin or ‘brown sugar’ (11.9%).
As for the underage population, there were 398 admissions, representing 2.1% of the total, with a decrease of 136 cases compared to 2023. Cannabis continues to be the primary substance of consumption among minors (79.4%), followed by behavioral addictions (6%).