Russia's new wave drug addicts disconcert old guard

AFP ^ | 10/25/01 | Agence France Presse

[Migraine]

Russia's new wave drug addicts disconcert old guard

SAINT PETERSBURG, Russia, Oct 25 (AFP) -
A new generation of drug addicts has appeared in Russia whose youth, aggressiveness and apparent lack of a sense of self-preservation have surprised older generations of drug users as much as the police.
"We were a lot more adult, and were well aware of the dangers involved in madly increasing our doses," said Alexander, a 47-year-old former philologist who has been taking drugs for three decades.
A veteran of the era of Soviet repression, Alexander sees a huge gulf in attitude between his generation and today's drug addicts.
"We used to pay attention to the quality of what we were using. But nowadays the market is flooded with heroin that kills within two to three years," he said.
"I used to take breaks from time to time to allow my body to recover. But young people nowadays step up their doses without any thought for the consequences," he observed, sounding almost shocked as he remembered seeing an addict aged only seven.
Ivan Sergeyev, of Saint Petersburg's drugs squad, noted that the average age of Russian drugs users has plummeted since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.
"A 14-year-old addict was very much the exception during the Soviet era. In those days it was pretty well impossible to obtain drugs at school, while today it's almost normal," he said.
A gramme of heroin in Russia's second city costs around 1,000 rubles, or 33 dollars.
"Twenty years ago all the drugs users knew each other and there were relatively few dealers, whereas now in virtually every apartment block there are two are three apartments where you can go to obtain dope," Alexander said.
Alexander himself has become a dealer, to pay for his habit and that of his wife Galina.
He sells only to people he knows well, and who know his apartment in the east of the city, and obtains his supplies from other dealers he has known for years.
The number of drug addicts in Saint Petersburg has increased by 58 percent in the past three years, according to official figures.
These are not particularly reliable, however, recording just over 8,000 addicts whereas the real figure is believed to be closer to 500,000.
"We have around 1,000 addicts in hospital, including some aged only 12 or 13, being treated for illness related to drug abuse, including hepatitis and AIDS," said Sergei Tikhomirov, head of the city's drugs rehabilitation department.
Saint Petersburg lies on one of the main routes for drugs emanating from Central Asia, particularly from Afghanistan transiting via Tajikistan, heading for western Europe.
Russia now has some three million drug addicts consuming more than a billion dollars worth of illicit drugs every year, Russian Interior Minister Boris Gryzlov said last week.
Nearly 300 tonnes of drugs arrive in Russia from Afghanistan every year, with only five percent intercepted at the Russian border, he said.
The cash for drug-addiction prevention programmes has practically dried up in recent years, while a total of 46 million dollars allocated for that purpose in 2002-2004 is "clearly insufficient," the minister said.
The result has been a sharp increase in drugs-related violence as young people resort to any means available to pay for their habit, Sergeyev noted.
"They're capable of attacking the old and infirm or even small children for and handful of rubles," he said.
Alexander recalled an earlier generation: "We had certain principles. We would never attack children or betray friends to the police. Nowadays they have no principles at all," he sniffed.

[TigerLikesRooster]

Re #18 It is true that hard-core addicts may not be useful. Those who got picked up may have short life span as a soldier, too. But during this time, they can do a really dangersous assignment with daily drug of choice as inducement.

[PoorMuttly]

I think there are probably enough nut-jobs of other descriptions and motivations to get the jobs done. They seem to have taken care of enough of us lately, without drugs. Anyway, these people are messed up in the mind on this stuff, are unreliable, and, under pressure, will simply take any amount they are given, once they are out of sight. I have met trained people I would fear much more that any drug addict. Logistically, they need a monitor....but if you give them a few bucks, they'd buy more on the streets to suppliment their allotment...especially if nervous, and end up on a ghetto mattress on launch day, anyway. Please excuse me now....I think they changed the frequency again, and I have to add some modifications to my tinfoil hat.

[PoorMuttly]

Re:#19...yes, I do wonder about our "new friends." I know it's tough having your mortal butt against the wall....but we will have to see what they do after they have served our common purpose. They can fast become our ex-new friends, too. About the other opium-producing areas in the world...transporting the stuff, and destabilizing nations, is a form of bio-terrorism too, IMHO, and may, with other underworld connections, qualify for our new "coalition" partners' attentention. What say ye?

[ikka]

I wonder what kind of population Russia will have in say ten to twenty years. Many less people, but what KIND of people will they be? Will they be the Christians, who shun the self-destructive behavior?

[PoorMuttly]

Wouldn't that be nice.

[RLK]

I understand the problem. I've been dealing with it here for nearly 40 years.

[Migraine]

I understand the problem. I've been dealing with it here for nearly 40 years.

Please elaborate. You have my attention.

[AGAviator]

About the other opium-producing areas in the world...transporting the stuff, and destabilizing nations, is a form of bio-terrorism too, IMHO, and may, with other underworld connections, qualify for our new "coalition" partners' attentention. What say ye?

As part of our "anti-terrorism crusade," the CIA has been given a billion dollar budget increase and carte blanche to do pretty much as it pleases anywhere in the world. This essentially means the old hijinks that were practiced in the name of "anti-communism" will now be permissible under "anti-terrorism."

Now since you can't get human intelligence from choir boys, there will certainly be some interacting with unsavory criminal drug-smuggling types, all for a greater good of course. So if drug smugglers have the useful connections and information, they will not only be given a pass, but they may be even assisted in their business. And there's always the possiblity of rogue agents doing a little free-lancing on the side. Who will have the oversight?

[citizenK]

The one billion dollar figure has to be way low unless ...

Count on errors on both sides of the equation here.
The number of addicts reported are likely to be inflated too.

[RLK]

When I was in high school during the early to nid 50s drug usage was unkown. It was unknown nationally except for a few isolated subcultures.

In the late 50s the beatnik and allied subcultures began using LSD, Mescaline, and hig strength marijuanna as mind-expanding intellectual experiences. In those days a drop of acid w2ould be put on a sugar cube and the person would swallow it and go into a psychotic state with the help of another person who would help them and direct that state as a "guide." Many people who tried if were under the impression that they had found a type of vast subjective truth during such episodes. The problem I found with this new wisdom that many who believed they had acquired it didn't have enough rational sense left to find the toilet afterwards.

In successive years I watched drug usage expand into college graduate students, then to undergraduate students. By about 1967-68 drug use had worked its way full scale into the high school levels. The intellectual pretentions were dispensed with. Drugs, all drugs, became casual fun. High school kids were being taken to hospitals by truckloads on bad trips with psychedelics. Even heroin use was going up at about 15% per year nationally.

When I went to several years of technical school starting in 1971 we lost about 1/3 of our freshman class to drugs. The greetin among the users was, "Hey man, what's happening." When mid-term and final exam time came along, they still didn't know what was happening and flunked out, ruining their lives.

The drug mentality is still with us today. The numerical influx has influenced our social, educational, and other institutions. The culture has changed to accommodate it. It's my belief that the resulting deteriorated mentality is responsible for the Clinton presidency.

That's part of the complex story. Much of the rest of it is in about 900 pages of articles at zolatimes.com. I don't believe this society is going to survive what I've seen, and am seeing.

[PoorMuttly]

Wow. Let me rephrase that: Yuck!

[dead culture watch]

Re; 24

I wonder the same thing about America

[WyldKard]

No supply = ex-drug addicts. When Afghanistan is closed, so is the drug store.

Nope, sorry. But thanks for playing.

If Afghanistan's poppy production shuts down, someone else will easily pick up the slack. If it costs them more to do it, they'll just past the cost onto the "consumer". As long as their is a demand, someone will always supply. So if you want to lower hard drug use, you need to address the demanders (And no, the answer isn't "Lock all drug users up forever". We need those jails for actual criminals, like rapists and murderers.)

I imagine that the Russians wouldn't have such a drug use problem if their society and economy wasn't such a wreck right now. Instead of relying on the "eyes wide shut" tactics of the War on Drugs, maybe we should actually be helping the Russians to help themselves. Partner with them to more effectively exploit their resources (which they still have a LOT of), help them get out from under the grip of the Russian Mafia, and just make their quality of life a lot better.

When their situation isn't so atrocious, I'm sure THAT will have a much more tangible effect on their hard drug use than substance interdiction ever could have. You take their opium away, and someone will introduce a NEW drug into the equation. The only way a "War On Drugs" style campaign could ever be won is to exist in a facist police state.

Of course, some people here would prefer to live in a facist police state. The burden of freedom with responsibility and free thought are too much for them sometimes ;-)

[JJ59]

Russia. The newest libertarian Mecca.

[PoorMuttly]

So let me understand this. Russia becomes more like America, and their drug problem stops? MORE wealthy, with more social programs and benefits...and they don't use heroin anymore? Oh. Did this work here? I agree that demand is at the root of it-what is in people's hearts- just like gun crime here....it doesn't shoot by itself...but if one can buy the stuff easily, and it's totally uncontrolled...then, short of chaining them into churches...all you can really do is pinch the supply. No? I am not supporting a police state by any means, and know that the firearm issue is more essential to maintaining freedom and democracy, but hey, this is drugs, deadly ones, that make people into dying, theiving vampires. Get the stuff away from them, and let 'em sweat it out. Then use your socialization skills and programs to address their internal problems. The ones ramaining out there finding other drugs, somehow, can be identified by their burned fingers, from soaking their cigarettes in gasoline. They are worse off, and you probably won't keep them from their graves anyway. At least it isn't part of an industry.

[WyldKard]

So let me understand this. Russia becomes more like America, and their drug problem stops? MORE wealthy, with more social programs and benefits...and they don't use heroin anymore? Oh. Did this work here? I agree that demand is at the root of it-what is in people's hearts- just like gun crime here....it doesn't shoot by itself...but if one can buy the stuff easily, and it's totally uncontrolled...then, short of chaining them into churches...all you can really do is pinch the supply. No? I am not supporting a police state by any means, and know that the firearm issue is more essential to maintaining freedom and democracy, but hey, this is drugs, deadly ones, that make people into dying, theiving vampires. Get the stuff away from them, and let 'em sweat it out. Then use your socialization skills and programs to address their internal problems. The ones ramaining out there finding other drugs, somehow, can be identified by their burned fingers, from soaking their cigarettes in gasoline. They are worse off, and you probably won't keep them from their graves anyway. At least it isn't part of an industry.

The point I am making is that hard drug use is going to be more rampant in situations where living in a country is such a bleak existance, people turn to escape valves. Russia is NOT a fun place to live in right now, no matter how people might try to soften that fact.

I never said they would stop using heroin. I said that helping them to HELP THEMSELVES, so that they can improve their lot in life with probably help REDUCE heroin usage.

It's very tempting to think you can cut off the supply, and think that will fix everything..but there's very little to support that it actually works. It's like trying to play a game of Wack-a-Mole that never ends. You cut off one supplier, two more pop up. As long as a criminal black market exists, with hyperinflated profits, spurred by a demand group that seriously wants to escape their bleak situation...you'll always have this problem.

Frankly, I think the drugs should be legalized anyhow. It's obvious that the War on Drugs has created a black market that has been VERY BENEFICIAL to the terrorists....The Taliban rammed us both ways...making money off the opium trade, then accepting $40 million american tax dollars when they pretended to stop selling opium.

[Migraine]

I deeply appreciate your reply.

[MrLeRoy]

Sounds pretty laissez-faire there

Rubbish. Nothing in the article says drugs are legal. (If you're looking at "only five percent [of drugs] intercepted at the Russian border," recall that our Drug Warring feds claim only 11% interception.)

[MrLeRoy]

Hey, coward, how's it goin'?

here is the future you wish to be part of.

Hogwash. Nothing in the article says drugs are legal.

take responsibility for yourself.

That's what legalizers want to do; it's YOU and your coward pals who want Big Brother to keep responsibility out of citizens' hands.

[A CA Guy]

Was this you? LOL

Plane Near Florida Nuke Plant Carried Drugs CRYSTAL RIVER, Fla. (Reuters) - A small plane forced down by U.S. Air Force jets near a Florida nuclear plant was carrying drugs, police said on Thursday.

The single-engine Piper Arrow took off on Tuesday afternoon from Melbourne, on the east coast of Florida, for a flight to Louisiana, Citrus County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Ronda Evan said.

After the plane went off course, the Federal Aviation Administration, on high alert following the Sept. 11 attacks, notified the Air Force, which sent two F-16 jets to intercept it and force it to land in Crystal River, about 70 miles north of Tampa.

Crystal River is the site of a nuclear power plant operated by Florida Power Corp., a unit of Progress Energy . Security at U.S. nuclear plants has been increased since the Sept. 11 hijacking assaults on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

The Air Force notified the Citrus County Sheriff's Office and deputies met the plane when it landed, Evan said.

``They found 65 pounds of marijuana,'' Evan said, worth an estimated $65,000. The pilot and a passenger, both from Melbourne, were arrested.

TRY to be SOBER! The real war on drugs has begun. Illegal drug users had been often financing terrorists with the money for their high! Those days are coming to an end.

PS: COWARDS are the ones who use illegal drugs (ADDICT WARRIORS). They can't handle life in a natural state. BOO HOO