Heroin and AIDS in Russia

Heroin abuse in russia, and as a result AIDS, have shown a closesly linked and rapid rise in Russia in recent years. There does seem to be some very backwards policies which are not helping the problem, such as a lack of methodone substitution programs or needle exchange programs (both of which are common practice in the EU). This BBC article on heroin in Russia cites proximity to gthe Afghan border as a major problem, which has effectively made Russia a “buffer state” for the influx of drugs into Europe. Another article indicates that most AIDS cases are directly linked to needle sharing, despite insistence by Russian authorities that their policy slows down infection rates.
These articles show a side to Russia I hadn’t considered quite so much. It seems public health in Russia is still very backwards, and these rates do not seem as if they will be be slowing any time soon.