Talking Drugs Updates from Eastern Europe and Central Asia [March 2021]

1. DECRIM: Redistribution of the state budget from criminalization to the expansion of harm reduction services in the EECA region will help defeat the HIV epidemic by 2040, according to researchers from The Economist magazine. This goal can be achieved without additional funding, TalkingDrugs (Rus) reports. The decriminalization of people who use drugs could boost the economy of the Russian Federation, writes " Kommersant " (Rus). The full text of the report is available here (Eng). Visit Alliance for Public Health (Rus) for more on the report. 
2. INTERVIEW: Peter Sárosi, director of the Hungarian Rights Reporter Foundation explores how drug policy and harm reduction in South East and Central Europe has changed since 2018. Visit the EHRA website (Rus) for more info.
3. HARM REDUCTION ACTIVISM: The new documentary video series “Good People”, produced by DUNews studio, includes an interview with Morgana Daniele, a harm reduction activist who became a member of the Lithuanian parliament, and with Sherboto Tokombaev, one of the first harm reduction activists in Kyrgyzstan (Rus).
4. ARTICLE: "Cooperate, Or Go To Jail" – How The Drug Policy System In Russia Has Outlived Itself  " Novaya Gazeta " (Rus.)
5. RUSSIA: A community theatre performance called "Diagnosis – Prosectution" has been staged in Ekaterinburg. The play explores personal stories of people who use drugs. Read more here (Rus).
6. POLICE CORRUPTION: In a unique case, a Russian court confirmed that police planted drugs; Though the sum was minimal, the victim has been awarded compensation. For more details visit " Kommersant " (Rus). 
7. UKRAINE: New developments in legalizing cannabis for medical use: who benefits from the bills proposed by the authorities? Read more at " Apostrophe " media (Rus).
8. PODCAST: Watch the first episode of “What Drug Dealers Dream About” (Rus).
9. DOCUMENTARY: "Withdrawal Syndrome" – a documentary project by "Takie Dela" media explores the history of Russia's war on drugs (Rus).

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