Head of the Federal Service for Drug Control, FSDC Victor Ivanov has suggested
drafting a new package of anti-drug laws in Russia. He put forward this
initiative at a parliamentary hearing of the State Duma committee on security
and countering corruption.

The drug situation in Russia remains complicated despite the efforts by the
Federal Service for Drug Control. According to experts, the number of drug
addicts exceeds 2.5 million people, while the crime rate related to illegal drug
trafficking has doubled in the past years. In order to improve the situation the
FSDC called on to declare the next five years ?five years of new anti-drug
laws?. First and foremost, there is a need to introduce the concept of anti-drug
security to Russian and international law.

?We are facing a blatant discrepancy between the presence of such a planetary
phenomenon, the Afghan drug production and the absence of laws to adequately
respond to this threat in the unified system of national and international
security,? Victor Ivanov said.

The spread of new synthetic drugs disguised as consumer goods, is one of the new
tendencies that pose a threat to life and the health of the society. According
to Victor Ivanov, 40 such drugs have been introduced into the world last year alone.

?The so-called designer drugs, ?spices? and other substitutes, which are
deliberately invented by foreign drug-makers and spread in Russia, pose a great
danger. Such drugs are becoming more popular among young people. These are being
spread not only as smoking mixtures but are also camouflaged under various
consumer goods, such as bath salt, fertilizers for flowers, anti-corrosion
substances and diet pills,? Victor Ivanov added.
It takes a long time to ban these drugs after they first appear on the market.
In view of this, there is a need to work out a complex of legislative measures
that will help to temporarily suspend the sale of such goods until they are put
on the list of banned goods.

Another trend in legislative work is the introduction of the concept of social
rehabilitation. It?s impossible to achieve a stable result without social
assistance for those who have gone through drug rehab, believes Victor Ivanov.

?It will be expedient to work out a mechanism of granting social privileges to
those who underwent a course of treatment from drug addiction and preferences
for non-governmental rehabilitation centres and facilities, which are engaged in
providing jobs for those who overcome drug addiction,? Victor Ivanov said.

These measures and other efforts should be included in the new anti-drug code.
When working this out, there is a necessity of taking into account the
achievements in Russian science and foreign experience in fighting against drug
addiction.

Radio The Voice of Russia, 30.05.2012

http://english.ruvr.ru/2012_05_30/76469900/