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News & Current Events Apr 16, 2026 at 10:51 AM

Cubans self-medicate as crisis takes toll on mental health: ‘There is no idea to hold on to’

Posted by nolesfan2011

Cubans self-medicate as crisis takes toll on mental health: ‘There is no idea to hold on to’
the Guardian
Cubans self-medicate as crisis takes toll on mental health: ‘There is no idea to hold on to’
Many people are turning to prescription drugs – and some to herbal remedies and even hard drugs – amid an outlook that feels bleaker than the collapse of the Soviet Union
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32 Comments

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Creativator Apr 16, 2026 +13
Why am I reading this now? Sounds like cover fire for an invasion.
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International_Bee653 Apr 16, 2026 +37
World's strongest military being used to strangle other nations of resources
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thornyRabbt Apr 16, 2026 +11
Came here to say this. USA spreading democracy to countries most willing to enslave themselves to US corporations 🇺🇸🤑
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noir_lord Apr 16, 2026 +14
Not remotely new. Smedley Butler (awarded the Medal of Honour twice and one of the best regarded generals in US history) wrote a short book called "War is a Racket" calling this shit out in 1935. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_Is_a_Racket https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smedley_Butler He'd have known.
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SomeRandomGuydotdot Apr 16, 2026 +2
Give al capone f****** lessons.
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Just_Advertising_657 Apr 16, 2026 +2
Its called competitive exclusion and unfortunately humans do it at cultural scale. I.E. if they were allowed, their culture would do the same to us. It has never been different nor will it ever, because cultures who do not do this die instantly. (Pic: Buddhist monk holding AK-47) War must thus proceed along the lines of unifying culture - The efforts of the US clandestine services since at least the 60s. What I'm trying to say is that this framing is essentially young women saying "men only care about sex!" while ignoring the millions of years necessary to foment that behavior and offering no realistic or philosophical input whatsoever.
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Need_answers11 Apr 16, 2026 +4
You misspelled russia
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Ultra_Metal Apr 17, 2026 -1
Communism is a failure. It has been proven to be a totally idiotic economic model that has failed in many different countries (so it can't be blamed on the embargo against Cuba). These failed policies resulted in famine and millions of deaths in the USSR and China. North Korea has to beg for food every once in a while because their economic system is so dysfunctional that they can't even feed their own people. Communist regimes only produce poverty, misery, tyranny, violence and death.
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Imbsiouse Apr 17, 2026 +3
Theocracy doesn't work. Israel is killing hundreds of thousands of people right now.
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CumGuzlinGutterSluts Apr 17, 2026 -3
Yeah. Like our current model we use in america right now. We should probably stop with the fuckin communism for a bit here and try something else.
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Ultra_Metal Apr 17, 2026 -2
The American capitalist system created the most wealth in all of history by far, including for the working class. Yes, the rich benefit the most but the working class benefits far more than the working class in communist countries. Most workers in the US have a much higher standard of living than those in any communist country. We should keep using the extremely successful American capitalist system.
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Educational-Art-8515 Apr 16, 2026 -21
Typical The Guardian rubbish. Cuba is not under a fuel blockade - nothing is being enforced. Russia openly is sending them fuel through their shadow fleet and the U.S is doing nothing. Far-left wing sources like this are desperate to distract from the fact that Cuba - like every other centrally planned economy in history - is failing. The only reason why they had fuel before is because Maduro gave them it in exchange for Cuban troops being the backbone behind his internal security forces in suppressing Venezuelans. They can't afford fuel because they do not have an economy. They can't even afford supplying their country with discounted rates from their "allies" like Russia.
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BJP-AI Apr 16, 2026 +12
The Guardian is not a “far-left news source”, you’re obviously a partisan whose singular interest here is simply perpetuate falsehoods. The suffering of the Cuban people is a direct result of US embargo’s both directly against the Cubans and any company that wants to work both with the US and Cuba. Trumps fuel embargo is killing people as hospitals struggle to keep their generators operating and the aid that is supplied cannot be delivered anywhere because there is no fuel. I don’t see how in 2026 there’s still people who agree with Trump about anything. This is obviously about corruption and personal graft for the President, he doesn’t care about the economic dignity of the Cubans or whatever higher values you’re trying to appeal to. This is about money for crooks
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Ok-Commercial-6865 Apr 16, 2026 +8
This is true. Russian shadow fleet tankers continue to deliver oil to Cuba without US interference.
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xnmyl Apr 16, 2026 +2
Some tankers have gotten through. Not enough to meet their fuel needs Oil also isn't a replacement for food, medicine, clothing, and other necessary goods
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Educational-Art-8515 Apr 16, 2026 -16
Trump is an authoritarian shitstain. You're clearly an idealogue who jumps to widely incorrect assumptions and divides the world into "two camps" based on your own beliefs. You are just as bad as the MAGA people. Nobody wants to do business with Cuba because the government is hostile to private property. That's why they have zero foreign currency reserves and can't afford to purchase fuel. It's really as simple as that. It has happened again and again with socialist countries, and yet people still can't seem to accept it doesn't work as an economic doctrine.
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xnmyl Apr 16, 2026 +5
Cuba is embargoed by the US. You seriously think anyone else is dumb enough to believe that has nothing to do with Cuna's current economic situation?
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BJP-AI Apr 16, 2026 +7
It’s actually not as simple as that, you’re talking on purely theoretical grounds which don’t reflect the reality. Would you be surprised to learn that private businesses are allowed to operate in Cuba? Additionally, where do you parse the difference between American policy and what is good for Trump and his family and friends ? Could you elaborate more? Edit: also, multiple UN votes condemning the US blockade implies to me that other countries don’t have the same qualms you do, and would be eager to trade with Cuba
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HoightyToighty Apr 16, 2026 -4
> other countries don’t have the same qualms you do, and would be eager to trade with Cuba Those countries have been able to do just that for decades, so long as they don't use American ports or products.
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BJP-AI Apr 16, 2026 +4
Yes, that’s how we use our economic weight to enforce our embargo
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Ultra_Metal Apr 17, 2026 +2
Yep. They ignore Venezuela's economic failure. They ignore the failures of the USSR and CCP which led to millions of deaths. Communism simply doesn't work. It has been proven over and over again in many countries.
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Imbsiouse Apr 17, 2026 +3
Israel is killing hundreds of thousands of people. Looks like theocracy doesn't work.
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BlahBlahBlackCheap Apr 16, 2026 +2
The usa has been sanctioning the hell out of the island for years. The citizens of that "bastion of freedom" cant even visit to spend tourist dollars.
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Educational-Art-8515 Apr 16, 2026 -12
Over twenty countries have US sanctions on them. You cannot blame the US for the failure of socialism in Venezuela. Its current situation is entirely down to the fact that Cuba is incapable of operating in a free market and is now a banana republic frozen in time.
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BlahBlahBlackCheap Apr 16, 2026 -1
Do those other countries forbid Americans from spending money there? Honestly we've seen time and again the best way to end communism id to just let the free market operate but the usa doesn't walk the walk. We do business with china. Another "communist" country.
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Educational-Art-8515 Apr 16, 2026 +7
China moved away from communism because the result of it under Mao was catastrophic - it had nothing to do with external investment, lol. It currently has an open market economy but strict political control. You don't need to be democratic to engage in capitalism. And yes, some of those countries (e.g. Mali and Burkina) have banned Americans from entering as is their foreign policy right.  Those countries still engage in the global economy though because they know they are screwed without foreign currency reserves. 
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BlahBlahBlackCheap Apr 16, 2026 -3
The country may ban Americans. But does the usa? Put another way, how many other places does the us government ban its citizens from visiting, in a practical sense? And the usa was doing business with china while it was still communist. We were beginning to offshore our manufacturing.
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Educational-Art-8515 Apr 16, 2026 +4
Travel to Cuba is not banned for Americans. It's just tourism travel that is restricted. Americans can legally travel there under specific categories (family visits, journalism, education, etc). The only country that you're entirely banned from visiting as an American is North Korea. Other countries have similar category-based travel restrictions like China. Even the European Union has something very similar in that countries like Syria or Iran are purpose-limited in practice by banning any tourism related financial transactions while there. >And the usa was doing business with china while it was still communist. We were beginning to offshore our manufacturing. Nope. Foreign business activity in China was minimal to nonexistent under Mao. China started trading with the United States after Deng Xiaoping introduced market mechanisms and opened the country to foreign investment. U.S. offshoring to China took off because of his economic reforms and the normalisation of relations.
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BlahBlahBlackCheap Apr 16, 2026
Yes. Tourism. The kind that exposes "communists" to something better. The tourism ban is capricious and ineffective. (At anything but punishing the people for a government they have little say in)
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xnmyl Apr 16, 2026
Cuba is being blockaded by the US. A couple oil tankers getting through doesn't change that fact Cuba is collapsing under the weight of US pressure. The US has the most powerful military and economy in human history. Of course they'd eventually be crushed by that China has a centrally planned economy and is pet to become the largest economy in the world, and already is in terms of PPP adjusted GDP
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Ok-Commercial-6865 Apr 16, 2026 -21
Maybe if they opened their doors to a million immigrants their economy could boom. Not only that, but they'd be even more culturally enriched. It's obviously working for Canada.
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StanknBeans Apr 16, 2026 +2
Idk what you're on about but Canada is pretty awesome
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