Putin points out three avenues in fight against drug traffic

Russian President Vladimir Putin has specified three main avenues in combating drug dealing and trafficking. While opening the session of the State Council Presidium on Tuesday, he said that it was first of all necessary "to develop social immunity to drugs." The head of state stressed that "the system of education, the state policy toward the young, and social activities must be oriented to this purpose". According to him, "this must be permanent work, not a set of single measures".

The president said that "the medical factor" should be the second direction, as "drug addiction is a serious disease." He spoke out in favour of a high-quality and available system of support for drug-addicts "within a precise legal framework".

The president accentuated the importance of former drug-addicts' rehabilitation, stressing that there are only "single initiatives", and no "achievements" on the whole.

According to the president, the third avenue is "reinforcement of border and custom control, carrying out preventive operations, and international co-operation."