Russia Starts to Admit Heroin Problem

With an estimated 2 million drug addicts in Russia—about one in 50 adults—the nation is finally admitting it has a problem. One ally of PM Vladimir Putin faults the West’s anti-terror efforts in nearby Afghanistan for allowing poppy cultivation to bloom; others say Russia’s sweep-it-under-the-rug policies make things worse, the Independent reports.

“The Russian strategy is to stifle serious debate about the problem and demonize drug users,” says one activist, explaining why addicts don’t get treatment. And with needle-exchange programs frowned upon, heroin use looks to be behind the spread of other deadly epidemics like HIV/AIDS. (More Russia stories.)