Russia’s harm reductionists are once again under attack
Finding common ground with Russia’s Soviet-era understanding of addiction—known as “narcology”—they promote abstinence, and abstinence only, from all illegal substances … Russia is about as bad as it gets. The country also has one of the highest populations of injecting drug users in the world.
Once Crimea went under Russian control, the territory’s “registered drug addicts” found themselves cut off from their methadone supplies… They were in for a nasty surprise when the new leadership banned their medication, in line with the rest of Russia… Rather than risk withdrawal, many went back to using heroin, subject to dodgy doses and harsh enforcement. Within a year, over a hundred of them had died.
Original Article (Filtermag):
Russia’s harm reductionists are once again under attack
Artwork Fair Use: Raiden Leung
