'Honey to get you high' is raising alarm among young people: "It's the first step toward other substances; crack is the danger."

The so-called "high honey" ingested by the 17-year-old from the province of Naples who ended up in a coma "is nothing new in the world of narcotics," emphasized Massimo Barra, one of the first doctors in Italy to professionally treat drug addiction and the founder of Villa Maraini in 1976. "It's not a new drug, far from it. Even the high concentration of THC in cannabis, which is being discussed in this case," he explained to Adnkronos Salute, "has been known for some time. We know that levels are higher today than they were twenty years ago." 

According to Barra, 'honey high' is "one of the many ways to consume cannabis, and it's mostly chosen by those looking to 'get high.' It's a method that can appear less traumatic and more acceptable to young people, another good reason not to underestimate cannabis. It can represent a first step toward consuming other substances," he warns. 

What worries the expert most, however, is "the crack scare" among the younger generation. "It's extremely widespread among young people, and we often find ourselves helpless even from a therapeutic standpoint, because it's a highly stimulant substance. Young people who use it are increasingly worse off," Barra observes. Finally, the doctor urges against considering drug addiction a phenomenon tied to specific social groups.  

"Drugs are democratic: they reach everyone. People from all walks of life turn to us, rich and poor, educated and ignorant, smart and stupid. The substance they take matters, but it's not the only factor. The effects also depend, and above all, on each individual's brain structure. That's the real variable," he concludes. 

(Adnkronos)