As today marks the international Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, 20 people will be graduating from Caritas after successfully completing the rehabilitation programme.

In comments to The Malta Independent, spokesperson for Caritas Marica Mizzi said that synthetic drugs are the biggest concern at the moment. Such drugs are manufactured in licensed laboratories and do not show up in urine or blood tests. She explained that Caritas employees are currently undergoing training to better deal with such drug abuses and the organisation will be introducing preventive programmes for parents and children.  “We’ve had adolescents as young as 14 abusing of synthetic drugs on a regular basis. Unfortunately, family values are being turned upside down, we now have children worrying about their parents instead of the other way round,” she said.

Synthetic drugs can be fatal

Such drugs can have very harmful effects on its users with some reporting violent behaviour, impaired perception, reduced motor control and extreme paranoia. They can also become highly addictive.

In Louisiana, a teenaged committed suicide after snorting bath salts let him to experience intermittent psychotic episodes. In another incident, a patient walked into the emergency department naked, trying to remove a ‘snake’ that was attacking his body.

Synthetic drugs are easily accessible and are often regarded as a “legal high” by buyers, sellers and users. The class of drugs includes the infamous "bath salts" and K2, also known as Spice. Synthetic drug packaging can range from plastic tubes or bottles to brightly coloured foil packets. The drugs are sold under names like Cloud 9, Bliss, Rush and Meow Meow.

In May, the United Nations Drug Agency reported that the unprecedented growth in "legal highs" has led to 348 new types of synthetic drugs appearing in more than 90 countries in every region of the world.

This year, Malta has again registered the second highest use of high-risk opioid, mainly heroin - with 1,078 people in rehabilitation. In the last twelve months, three deaths related to drug use have been registered in Malta.

The United Nations General Assembly noted that despite continued and increased efforts by the international community, the world drug problem continues to constitute a serious threat to public health, the safety and well-being of humanity, in particular young people, and the national security and sovereignty of States, and that it undermines socio-economic and political stability and sustainable development

President Marie Louise Coleiro Preca will attend tonight’s graduation.