Laura and Javier have learned one of the sharpest lessons of their existence.

Aged 18, she took a liking to amphetamines, known as ‘speed’. Soon, the whim of the cocaine consumed her. Now she is 24 and is finishing a therapy to stop this habit in Proyecto Hombre.

At 21, Javier started rolling joints and finished captivated by cocaine.

These are the experiences of two of the thousands of teenagers who have come to this institution to begin a plan to emerge from the darkness of the drugs, according to a Proyecto Hombre spokesman.

Nobody is free from drugs. Each day, more juveniles come forward seeking rehabilitation.

Drugs directly affect the brain. A US study confirms that narcotics can result in damage, such as anxiety, melancholy, psychotic episodes or suicidal tendencies.

It is therefore imperative that the fight against drugs continues and is also stepped up.

Drugs have become one of the plagues of our society. The rate of drug consumption has grown alarmingly and the authorities are overwhelmed with this serious problem.

Efforts to fight this social scourge that only causes self-destruction and death cannot stop.