The secretary general of the Latin American Episcopal Council (CELAM) signed an agreement with the Organization of American States (OAS) on July 13 to combat drug abuse.
Auxiliary Bishop Lizardo Estrada Herrera, O.S.A., of Cuzco, Peru, said that the “Catholic Church, inspired by its social doctrine, seeks not only to address the structural consequences of drug use, but also to accompany people in their human, social, and spiritual dimensions.”
The agreement will focus on “drug use prevention, treatment, recovery, and preventing the recruitment of young people by criminal organizations, combining evidence-based public health approaches with the Catholic Church’s community and pastoral work,” according to the OAS.