Russian government bans harm reduction

[garywmeyerhoff]

This was received at the NAP office tonight from our comrades in Moscow. With this statement, this Russian Federal Government committee has declared needle and syringe programs, harm reduction activities and possibly even drug law reform activities as illegal.

 

Users worldwide need to work together to stop these backwards steps from occurring. The user activists and harm reduction people in Russia need all of our support at the moment.

 

Stay posted on this issue. This is a very dangerous situation for Russian drug users right now. Following the statement is an explanation from one of our comrades in Russia, Dis, a user activist and owner of www.drugusers.ru

 

Gary M

Darwin

 

FROM MOSCOW STATE DRUG CONTROL COMMITTEE OF RUSSIA

¹ 509

 

not secret

urgent

 

TO THE HEADS OF TERRITORIAL DEPARTMENTS

 

Recently some pro-governmental organizations have been actively

imposing on public opinion the idea of implementing so-called "harm reduction" program, the core of which is combating HIV-infection by exchanging disposable syringes for drug abusers. State drug control committee management sees this idea as open propaganda of illegal drugs. Providing drug abusers with syringes and elucidations, distributing alcohol swabs, in the legal point of view can be considered as particular

ways of drug use, that come within Resolution of the Plenary Session of

Supreme Court of the Russian Federation ¹9 dated 27.05.98, which stated that inclination to use of illegal drugs or psychotropic substances

means any deliberate act targeting at raising within another person desire to use these substances (persuading, offering, giving advice, etc.).

 

Article 40 of the Law "On illegal drugs and psychotropic substances"

bans use of drugs and psychotropic substances without doctor's

prescription. According to the article 47 part 3 (including syringes), things used for implementing activities related to turnover of illegal drugs, psychotropic substances and their precursors is the matter of

confiscation.

 

In some Russian cities these experiments have led to a significant

outbreak of drug dissemination. Analogous programs carried out in

Netherlands, Sweden, and Austria had the same result. In Switzerland this program was admitted as a mistake.

 

In Vancouver (Canada) syringe distribution led to significant increase

in the number of HIV-infected. 40% of HIV-infected users announced

that they used free of charge syringes.

 

In 1997, UN International Drug Control Committee admitted that syringe

exchange programs contradict the UN general line and are a step toward legalization of drugs.

 

In Russia, some political and public activists propose even more

provocative idea - to provide drugs to drug users free of charge. They talk

about motivation of necessity to "reduce criminality" among drug

dependant people. We believe, these ideas are dangerous, and in the end they are disavowal of the very idea of preventing drug use distribution in Russia.

 

Taking into account all afore mentioned, we think it is necessary to

take active civic position, arising from our legislation. The core of

such position should be simple and clear: "No spirit of conciliation in

combating drugs in Russia". We ask you, while meeting with your regional authorities, make them aware of our standpoint. We should take administrative and if there is any ground criminal action toward people who advocate for this idea.

 

¹ 81 Deputy head

19.11.03 State Drug Control Committee

 

A.G. Mikhailov

 

tel. 206-97-80

 

From Dis – owner of www.drugusers.org

unfortunately this organization has all the power

needed to close all harm reduction projects and users

activists. they has their own investigation forces,

their own spetsnaz (special attack forces), etc.

 

their power cover all the russian territory. little

bit history. Year ago we have special police

departments, dealing with drugs, in each

police department. but suddenly president

created this new committee,

based on the people (!!!!) working in the tax

inspection (!!!!!). it was very strange. about a

year there was no activity of this committee....

 

2 months ago they started to work in

Moscow and

St.Petersburg. In Moscow they closed 2 or 3 night

clubs, and in St.Petersburg they just

eliminated huge amount of small drug dealers

and just junkies. As people said, they work in

very terrible manner - beat people, put the stuff

in their pockets, etc. but the leaders of this

comittee told that they are going to work with

serious dealers and do not consider to solve the

problem of street junkies and small dealers.

terrible lie, as usual.

 

i am the owner of the biggest russian web site

 

dedicated to drug use,and i can definetely tell

that soon i will experience some problems.

already now i feel strong interest of police

officers to our community...

we will see what will happen. i was twice in prison,

third time is ot for me =)

best regards.

dis

[free choice]

I/m glad I don't live in Russia ..

they're such morons , & stupid regressive backward thinkers ...

 

Glasnost ..up your arse ..Ruski Twits...

 

they never get anything right do they ...?

[garywmeyerhoff]

I/m glad I don't live in Russia ..

 

they're such morons , & stupid regressive backward thinkers ...

 

You say you are glad you don't live in Russia

 

Did you know that slowly but surely Australia is taking the same approach. The federal government (Australian) have removed any reference to harm reduction in the new federal drug policy and hepc policy that has not yet been released.

 

The federal government (Australian) is also working at removing addiction from the disability discrimination act so that dependent users can:

• be evicted from their homes
  
• fired from their jobs
  
• refused services - even at the corner store
  
• refused education opportunities
  

The people running this country (Australia) are such morons & stupid regressive backward thiners, and so are the people who keep voting them back in.

 

Look mate, you made a pretty racist statement about the Russians. There are backwards and regressive people everywhere.

 

The russian drug user movement is miles ahead of us here in Aussieland.

 

Check out some of their sites

 

Drugusers.ru

 

Drugscene

 

For links to other international user groups see our links page

 

NAP links

[Tom]

garywmeyerhoff, this is not an activist site it is a grow help site, so please don't get upset if some of the members are not interested in something on the other side of the planet. You could try Marijuana Australiana, that is Australia's activist site.

[Guest Wilderbud]

Great - a solution to over-population.

[garywmeyerhoff]

Hi Wilderbud

 

i understand what ozstoners is about.

 

I actually posted this in the International Marijuana News forum for that reason.

 

Activism occurs on many different levels. Even growing could be seen as a form of activism. This website may not be an activist focussed site, but it is definately a form of activism in itself, by creating debate and discussion around the prohibition of hemp and other related issues.

 

Keep up the great work ozstoners

 

[Guest pilk]

russia :angry:

no comment

[Guest Wilderbud]

This website ... is definately a form of activism in itself, by creating debate and discussion around the prohibition of hemp and other related issues.

It isnt and it doesnt - the only person posting about anti-prohibition as a topic of discussion is you.

[RobbieGanjaSeed]

Hi all, I'm not one for enflaming a thread, although i do tend to do so. I don't mean to.

 

but anyway, I was just reading the statement that Australia is slowly heading the same way, and I wanted to take the opportunity to tout again my thorn in my side.

 

About 2 years ago, maybe 3 (man times flies as I get older); two gov employed drug adivers to the government came to work one monday morning to find they had no job.

 

The drug adivosry committee to the gov. was split into two, one side was harm min. and one side was zero tolerance, with the hope that the gov would get both extremes to any said question put to it. The team was only 4 members strong, and it did work effectively, although the gov has the final word on what they do, and they almost always ignored anything they didn't want to do anyway.

 

The 2 drug harm min. experts came to wrk, and without any warning or notice, they found their jobs gone. They were paid up, and sent packing, and their jobs were replaced with 2 more zero tolerance gov pupets.

 

The first thing they did, was to put out that 4 page full colour pamphlet at huge expense to us tax payers, teaching us the dangers of drugs. You remember, a few years ago, in the mail box.

 

So yeah, at leat whilever this gov. is in power, we will slide down that slope.

 

But having been a labor man all my life, with the occassional diversion to independants for one reason or another, I'm horrifified by Mark Lathams (sorry if the spelling is wrong) suck up to USA. These gov. suck ups often strenthen the Americanisation of the drug laws.

 

Anyway, off topic, I just wanted to beat my drum.

 

cheers

rob

[Luke Skywalker]

Beat that drum as much as ya like mate. I think you've more than earned drumming rights, don't you?

 

What's Lathams Drug policy like?