Pope Leo XIV emphasizes family role in drug addiction prevention

Pope Leo XIV addressed an international meeting in the Vatican focused on drug addiction and the criminal recruitment of youth, specifically regarding dialogue from Latin America and the Caribbean. During the three-day event, which concluded on August 27, 2026, the Pontiff emphasized that “there is no better prevention against drugs than a good family.”

Describing addiction as a complex phenomenon that reflects the “failure of a dehumanized world,” the Pope called for comprehensive solutions. These include community-level prevention, scientific attention, human-centered justice, and close pastoral support. He clarified that the Church does not intend to compete with neurosciences, psychiatry, or public health, but rather seeks to illuminate these fields through the lens of the Gospel and a holistic understanding of the human person.

The meeting was organized by the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, the Latin American Pastoral Care for Accompaniment and Prevention of Addictions (PLAPA) of CELAM, and the Inter-American Commission on Drug Abuse (CICAD) of the Organization of American States. The Pope highlighted four ‘bridges’ of cooperation, most notably the synergy between the Church and international organizations, noting that “no one can face the problem of drugs alone.”