The Brink of the Abyss - 26 December, 2002

Russian President Vladimir Putin: Of course we could go the way of toughening the penalty for this kind of crime, for drug dealing. Though, we all understand this is not enough. For, the issue is born in our territory…

I remember that a couple of years ago, my child was ill and I brought him to a sorceress who was famous beyond the Seaside Region borders. While staying in a long queue of people who wanted to get to the wise woman, I saw a scene which I will probably never forget.

First of all, the old woman was receiving a group of drug addict teenagers who had been sent to her by their parents. A dozen of 12-13-year-old boys and girls accompanied with their fathers and mothers dolefully passed the curious crowd. Empty eyes, expressionless faces. They went mechanically, like robots.

“Drug addicts!” – people started to whisper. The people carefully looked at the children: some with compassion, others with condemnation. There was girl among these children, very thin and mean. She was with her mother which looked very determined as if being ready to anything to help her daughter. And suddenly a cry sounded from the crowd: “Hey, mother! How have you lost her? You should have taken care of her!”

What happened then is not easy to describe with words. The mother stopped, turned round and looked so sternly towards the voice that people from the first row literally shrunk back. I cannot say exactly if there was more ferocity or pain in this look, for I cast down, like other people in the crowd. I could not stand this look.

“And what would you do?” she asked slowly and quietly. “The whole her class is so, the whole school. They were many times proposed to try, while when the children refused, they were deceived, as if it was just chewing gum, or in any other way...” 

And I started to think since that time: what will I do for my child? How will I save him from this pest? For children are trusting, while drug dealers constantly perfect their methods. For them, our children are just a firing ground.

Narcosis is oppression of excitement delivery in inter-neuron synapses of central nervous system, caused drugs of specific effect.  In modern medicine, narcosis is understood as general anesthesia which is accompanied with full lack of sensitiveness, weakening of the skeleton muscular system and lack of  voluntary movements.
The Seaside Region experts of narcology published frightening figures: in the region, there are 15,215 drug addicts. Although this is only the iceberg top (for only every 10th drug addict is ready to manifest), it is 2.5 times higher than average figures in the country.

The situation is very serious. The level of the disease is higher than that one in Moscow and Far East Federal District. However, this started not yesterday. Already in 1991, in Seaside Region, there were five times more registered drug addicts, than in average in Russia. While the number of drug users continues to grow.  These tendencies are especially strong in youth. Moreover, according to the statistics, among people who drive under drug influence, there are mainly people under 30. So, there is a real risk that we can lose the whole generation.

Lyudmila Mikhaleva, main expert of narcology of Seaside Region:

“Once narcosis was mainly used in operations. This was a great scientific discovery whose 100th anniversary was celebrated in 1947 in all countries of the world. Among the people who contributed to this discovery there were many Russian scientists, including professor Nikolay Pirogov. This is really a very important discovery, for 35 years before narcosis was discovered we lost great Russian commander Bagration, 10 years before the investigation – great Russian poet Pushkin, whose lives could have been rescued now by any doctor.”
Every year, the age of drug users becomes younger. Today, it makes 13-14 years. While 40 percent of 18-19-year-old students confess they use drugs. Only 3 percent of drug addicts can be fully cured of their addiction.

Anna Chernyavskaya, doctor of Vladivostok Prophylaxis Centre:

“Till now, we do not fully know the essence of physical and chemical processes of drug effect. Many physiological changes in central nervous system are not clear yet. Academician Pavlov and his followers found out drugs first of all ruined the most complicated conditioned reflexes, and then – the more simple.”

Every year, there are more and more pupils who are sent down from schools. Today, in some districts of Seaside Region the number of sent-down pupils makes 2 to 3.4 percent of the whole number of school children. 2,349 teenagers are registered in the regional narcology dispensary, while 500 of them regularly use drugs.

Konstantin Mezhonov, head of People’s Education Office of the Regional Administration Education Department:

"In narcosis stage, functions of all organs and tissues decline. Secretory and motive functions of alimentary canal became weaker, excretory function of kidneys becomes slower. During narcosis, heart contraction becomes more seldom and weak, blood pressure gets lower. While overdozing of drug, the reason of death is paralysis of respiratory centre."

The problem of drug addiction is really acute in Seaside Region. According to the poll carried out among school children, 2.7 percentof teenagers of 12 to 17 years already tried drug, while 0.5 percent use drug regularly. While 80 percent of teachers and parents, including me, are deeply concerned with spread of drug addiction in our society. This is why I would vote with my both hands for toughening penalty for drug dealing, including introduction of death penalty. I am sure, this is the only way to stop this pest.

P.S. The Seaside Region governor, Sergei Darkin: “Our children have nothing to aspire to, nobody takes care of them. This causes a complex of social problems, including drug addiction, alcoholism, teenage criminality. Our task is to preserve next generation. To solve this problem, our common efforts are necessary.”
Sergei Cherednichenko

PRAVDA.Ru
Vladivostok

Translated by Vera Solovieva