Putin considers situation with drug use in Russia disastrous

On Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin held a meeting attended byGeneral Prosecutor Vladimir Ustinov, Interior Minister Boris Gryzlov,Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov and Federal Security Service Deputy DirectorVladimir Pronichev. The President's Press Service reported that thesituation with fighting crime, including drug trafficking, was discussed atthe meeting. The day before, Putin also held a meeting of representatives of allagencies responsible for fighting the illegal sale of drugs and drug use ingeneral. "Everything that we have in this sphere is comparable to a(natural) disaster," the Head of State pointed out. "It is no better thanwhat we have in some regions of the country after the flood.".