Private Schools in Playa del Carmen Tighten Security Amid Drug and Viral Challenge Fears

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — Private schools in Playa del Carmen are ramping up security measures amid growing concerns over drug use, vaping, and viral challenges among students, even as no cases of so-called “gummy” edibles containing illicit substances have been reported on campus.

Eugenia Guzmán, general director of Colegio Inglés and Centro Universitario Inglés, said private institutions are coordinating through the Association of Private Schools of the Peninsula (SEPAC) to address emerging risks. One recent trigger was the spread of viral challenges involving threats of violence at schools, prompting the Public Security Department to provide training and support.

“The gummy issue hasn’t arrived yet,” Guzmán said, though she acknowledged other cases of potential substance use and risky behavior among teenagers.

Schools can no longer freely conduct “operation backpack” searches due to human rights considerations, so they have adopted alternative strategies. These include surprise drug tests for middle and high school students, as well as random testing throughout the school year when suspicions or internal reports arise.

Positive cases have mainly involved students aged 16 to 17, with marijuana, vapes, and other substances detected.

Schools have also introduced preventive talks and testimonies from individuals with a history of addiction to raise awareness about the consequences of drug and alcohol use.

In recent years, educational and security authorities have increased focus on the impact of viral challenges, vaping, and new substances among adolescents, driven by the proliferation of such content on social media.