Over 100 new drugs may appear in 2013

Head of the Federal Drug Control Service (FSKN) Viktor Ivanov said over 100 new drugs could appear this year. Ivanov described the situation over contraband of the so-called “designer drugs” from Southeast Asia and other European states as “extremely difficult”. In recent years the confiscation of synthetic drugs has increased by several times, he said, adding that new “designer drugs” were more concentrated than heroine. Thus, these drugs can be used in different kinds of smoking blends, diet means, bath salts and others, Ivanov said. “The synthesis of new drugs gains momentum. In 2011, at least 48 new drugs were produced synthetically while their number increased by 2012. This year over 100 new drugs are expected to be produced synthetically,” he said. Thus, he said a new drug appeared every three days. “This proves the scale of a threat, which is posed to the country’s security,” Ivanov said. He said “designer drugs” were used mainly at night clubs. “There are all grounds to say night clubs became the places where drugs were spread on a massive scale. Tolerance by the clubs’ managers creates an advantage for bigger profit,” he said. Ivanov called for adopting a law on managers’ responsibility for the youth’s security at leisure places as it was done all round the world. At the same time, he said, “It is important to record new psychotropic substances as drugs. The Russian Federal Drug Control Service should be given a corresponding competence in this aspect.” The Russian president supported this initiative, Ivanov said, adding that it was being implemented very slowly.