New Drug Situation in Russia

Abstract

The paper explores the rapidly changing drug situation and provides insights into the emergence of various ways of shift to the “new” models of drug abuse, defines the role of “controlled” drug use among different ages and gender groups. It reviews the situation in hand, reveals positive changes: fewer total number of registered addicts, less opioid addiction, fewer injecting drug users. However, the author highlights the onset of massively veiled (illicit) drug abuse, describes the growth of public interest in various psychostimulants. A whole category of new drugs has emerged. Their availability and, in some cases, low cost prompt various drug experiments among both regular and occasional consumers and those prone to first trials. This triggered a change in the methods of drug abuse towards multiple drug abuse. Among certain groups of the population, such models as “status”, “recreational”, and “club” drug abuse have become widespread. The author identifies and shows real practices of controlled drug abuse. Such “controlled” consumption is most often an intermediate stage in the formation of drug addiction with a delayed period, which requires special forms of social control.