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population - could be infected by 2010, under worst-case scenarios. The epidemic is growing fastest among young people aged 15-30, the very same group that should be leading Russia into the 21st century. Figure 1 shows the dramatic growth of Russia's HIV epidemic between 1994 and mid-2003, as measured by official cases of HIV diagnosis registered with the Russian Federal AIDS Center.

Recent reports that the rate of new HIV infection in Russia is declining are almost certainly misleading. Since 2000, the number of people in high-risk groups tested for HIV has declined dramatically. According to official statistics compiled by the Russian Federal AIDS Center, the number of injecting drug users tested for HIV infection dropped from a high of 524,300 in 2001 to 331,100 in 2002; this may explain why there were only 10,298 cases of HIV infection registered among drug users in 2002, when almost three times that figure were diagnosed in 2001. Moreover, the federal government has recently stopped the supply of HIV test kits to the regions; for those regions that cannot afford to purchase their own test kits, the number of tests (and the number of officially diagnosed HIV-positive people) has therefore declined. Although HIV infection has been reported in virtually all of Russia's 89 regions, there are a number of geographic "hot spots" where HIV prevalence rates are much higher than average. Russia's largest urban centers, Moscow and St. Petersburg, are epicenters for HIV/AIDS, as are the strategically important cities of Kaliningrad, Togliatti, Norilsk, and Khanty-Mansiysk. In Norilsk, over 1 percent of the adult male population is already officially diagnosed with HIV.

At the end of 2002, 11 regions of the Russian Federation reported HIV-prevalence rates above 300 cases per 100,000 citizens. Of greatest concern are six regions that have prevalence rates higher than 500 cases per 100,000: Sverdlovsk oblast (which includes Yekaterinburg); Leningrad oblast; St. Petersburg; Samara oblast; Irkutsk; and Orenburg oblast. According to the Russian Federal AIDS Center, 39 percent of the entire Russian population is now living in regions where between 0.2 percent and 0.6 percent of the population is officially diagnosed with HIV.

HIV in China

There are currently an estimated 700,000 people living with HIV in China, including about 75,000 AIDS patients. During 2007 around 39,000 people died from AIDS. These large numbers must be considered in the context of China's extremely large population which is estimated at around 1,300 million. Although UNAIDS reports that China’s HIV epidemic remains one of low prevalence overall (0.1%), there are pockets of high infection among specific sub-populations and there is danger of the epidemic spreading further into the general population. With one in five individuals in the world living in China, it is critical that the country continues with its efforts to prevent a generalised epidemic, as well as raising awareness and reducing infections in the higher prevalence groups of injecting drug users, men who has sex with the man and sex workers.

Initially characterised by denial and inaction, the Chinese government has recently realised the danger of ignoring HIV\AIDS and has initiated a broad programme to tackle the epidemic. China’s first AIDS case was reported in Beijing in 1985. In the following five years a small number of further cases were reported among foreigners and Chinese, who were infected overseas or by imported blood products.

During the early stages of the AIDS epidemic the Health Ministry concentrated its prevention efforts on the risk of infection from abroad. In 1986 it announced that it planned to test all foreign students for AIDS who had been in the country for more than a year, and students entering China would require a certificate from their country of origin testifying that they were not infected with HIV. Although a National Programme for AIDS Prevention and Control was set up in 1987, the Public Health Authorities reported that AIDS would not

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become established as homosexuality and "abnormal" sexuality - thought to be the main causes of the spread of HIV - were a "limited" problem.

In 1989, 146 injecting drug users (IDUs) in Southwest Yunnan were identified as HIV positive. By the end of the year the total number of infected people was reported as 153 Chinese and 41 foreigners. At that time AIDS and drug addiction were seen as consequences of contact with the West, and AIDS was known as aizibing, the "loving capitalism disease".

By late 1994 it was clear that the reported AIDS cases amongst IDUs in Yunnan had signalled the beginning of an epidemic amongst drug users. National figures for HIV infection were growing quickly – in 1996 the Minister of Health, Chen Min-Zhang, put the number of infections at between 50,000 and 100,000 - and new cases were being reported in more regions. By 1998, HIV infections had been reported in all 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities, with drug users accounting for 60-70% of reported infections.

The sharp increase in AIDS cases in China in the 1990s was also attributed to a large number of people infected through blood donation, which was widely reported by the western press, as well as transmission through heterosexual sex, which increased steadily to represent 7% of all HIV infections. There was a notable shift in government response to the epidemic in the new millennium. On World AIDS Day 2001, stories and testimonials of those infected with HIV alongside a television drama about AIDS reflected a far greater willingness to discuss the emerging epidemic. The same year, the "China Plan of Action to Contain, Prevent and Control HIV/AIDS (2001-2005)" was published, which included plans to screen all blood for clinical use for HIV. In 2003, the Health Minister’s change in attitude was evident, it is widely felt that the 2003 SARS epidemic prompted the change as it demonstrated to the government the impact public health could have on social and economic stability. He described the fight against AIDS as a "long-term war" and, as well as showing a new willingness to accept overseas assistance, requested that China’s AIDS budget of US$12.5 million be doubled. On World AIDS Day 2003, Wen Jiabao became the first Chinese premier to shake hands with an HIV-positive person. Peter Piot, the Executive Director of UNAIDS commented: “I really feel that there is a change going on... I know that for top state leaders in China today, AIDS is on the agenda.”

HIV/AIDS prevention in China

Partly because of the national failure to educate Chinese citizens about AIDS in the 1980s and 1990s, stigma and discrimination towards those living with HIV in China is still a major problem. Stigma, fear and discrimination constitute a vicious circle which fuels a hidden epidemic, presenting serious obstacles to the design and implementation of effective HIV prevention programmes. In 2003 China initiated an ambitious programme to raise awareness of the disease, reduce stigma and prevent a generalised HIV epidemic in the country. It includes educational campaigns, HIV testing outreach projects, targeting high-risk groups and preventing of mother to child transmission.

HIV prevention in Russia

There are just 69 needle exchange programmes in Russia to cover as many as 2 million IDUs and UNAIDS estimated in 2005 that just 5% of all IDUs had access to such preventive measures. Despite this, the government cut its funding for needle exchanges from 15 programmes in 2006 to just 3 in 2007. Of the $289m in state funding for HIV just $7.75m was allocated to prevention. The bulk of what little harm reduction measures there are has therefore been left to bodies such as the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculoses and Malaria implemented through NGOs including the Russian Harm Reduction Network and the Global Efforts Against AIDS in Russia (GLOBUS) consortium.

As we can see Russian and Chinese governments are interested in HIV preventing, but only with the help of us, young citizens they can solve that problem. Whole societe should take part in it.

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Ekaterina Kupriyanova,

5th year student, International Economic Relations Department, Far Eastern Institute of International Relations Scientific adviser: Elena N. Albey, Instructor

PREVENTING ALCOHOLISM, SMOKING, DRUG ABUSE

AMONG YOUTH IN CANADA

Drugs

And according to results of sociological researches, in Canada drugs the youth for which "poison" has turned to invariable attribute of steepness plays about basically. Following facts eloquently testify to it. If in 1990 marihuana was smoked by 26 % of boys and 2 % of the girls visiting a graduation class in eight years this indicator has sharply raised to 44 and 41 percent. More than hemp use has twice increased also.

Researchers have shown that in 1999 at youth the hemp (34, 7 %), hallucinogens (16, 3 %) and aerosol preparations (10, 9 %) used the greatest popularity. "The Honorable" fourth place occupied amphetamine (7, 1 %), the fifth - cocaine (5, 1 %), the sixth — sedative means (3, 5 %) and the seventh - опиаты (2, 8 %). The youth gave the greatest preference accessible and cheap to marihuana, ecstasy and GHB. Last still name «liquid ecstasy», before prohibition in 1990 the preparation was used by athletes as it promotes essential increase of level of a hormone of growth (in 16 times and more).

Not less a challenge became for Canada and marihuana. This autumn in the country are going to pass the law on marihuana decriminalization: for storage of a small amount of a drug it will be possible to get off with the penalty.

The conducted researches have shown that 70 % of the population does not object to marihuana decriminalization, 47 % demand its legalization, and over 90 % consider possible application of this drug in the medical purposes. At the same time marihuana creates many problems in the country. 75 % of all crimes connected with drugs, concern marihuana, of 65 % make punishments of them for storage of small amounts of hemp. The question on marihuana decriminalization is discussed about 30 years. Today it again in the attention centre as hemp smoking considerably exceeds all former indicators.

How the life of Canada, if to decriminalize the marihuana use will look? According to the professor of jurisprudence Dzheroma Young, in the country a little that will change also to Canadians the risk does not threaten to become "smoked". There, where marihuana have legalized, level of its use has not changed, and here and there even has decreased. Such effect partly speaks "a forbidden fruit" syndrome. The youth which is the basic consumer of "grass", gives it preference because of is false understood romanticism. As soon as marihuana "will discredit", its use will essentially decrease. The professor also believes that thanks to decriminalization it will be possible to save many means which it will be possible to direct on struggle against serious crimes.

The Canadian addicts will treat heroin

In Vancouver (Vancouver) plan to open clinic where heroin addicts can receive a drug dose, informs Associated Press. The action purpose is to establish, whether introduction methadone with heroin will help to cope with dependence better, than introduction only methadone, and also attraction of addicts in clinics where they, except a heroin dose, can receive psychological and medical aid.

In the project will take part 157 addicts taking heroin within at least 5 years. From them 70 persons will receive 3 times a day injections methadone, the others - methadone with heroin. Some examinee from last group will enter a heroin substitute hydromorphone - if addicts are, except clinic, to enter to themselves heroin somewhere on the party, it will be

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reflected in urine analyses. The estimation of efficiency of the given project will occupy 1215 months. Over similar programs scientists of the Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany and Spain work also. Under recipes heroin already receive about 400 British addicts. In the USA such program has not received government support as unethical and potentially dangerous. As the representative of Office of the White house on struggle against drugs (White House Office of National Drug Control Policy) David Mjurrej has noted (David Murray), "we after all do not concede in struggle against a cancer, in this light the drug dependence concession looks frightening and unethical".

In the answer the professor of University of Toronto (University of Toronto) Benedict Fisher (Benedikt Fischer) and one of authors of "the heroin project" has declared that the Canadian scientists and physicians consider such action, as a way to involve addicts to treatment.

Smoking

And here after all is that the most interesting. Smoking among teenagers, apparently, has ceased to be a problem in Canada. The reason is in enough rigid tax policy. Constant increase of taxes to tobacco has made it almost luxury — the pack of cigarettes costs in Canada approximately $5.

Alcoholism

In Canada about 90 % of pupils of 7-9 classes take alcoholic drinks. Growth of the use of alcoholic drinks by teenagers and youth last decades the multi-year-old panel and comparative researches spent to the USA, Canada, Germany and other countries eloquently testify. For example, the data of panel research in Canada for 7 years has shown substantial growth of the use of alcohol by pupils. The percent of the pupils taking alcohol within last year has made the following dynamic number: 1998 – 65 %, 2008 – 86 %. In 2008 there have been interviewed 1004 teenagers concerning consumption of alcohol by them. Among teenagers of 16-18 years occurring from families where seniors consumed alcohol, 94 % regularly drank alcoholic drinks, the others of 6 % had to it distinct propensity; the corresponding data for girls was 68 and 32 %. Neglect of children was the important negative factor. Among teenagers of 16-18 years, whose parents did not find time for dialogue with them, 65 % of young men and 62 % of girls regularly accepted alcohol. The author pays attention that parents often did not suspect that their children abused spirits. Concerning regular consumption of alcohol by children out of holidays many parents have not been in-are formed (in 58 % of cases for age of 10-14 years, in 35 % of cases for age of 14-16 years, in 11 % of cases for age of 16-18 years).

Thus, the rate of increase of the use of alcoholic drinks among girls (girls) goes faster, than at boys (young men). Girls as researches of foreign authors testify, on all indicators of the use (a dose, frequency, a fortress of drinks etc.) Catch up the young man. Despite diversity criteria of revealing abusing alcohol and sick of an alcoholism at youthful age, the data of various authors all the same allows to judge that their number is great enough (tab. 2). The analysis of the materials resulted in the table, testifies that for last 100 years irrespective of level of the use and abusing spirits distribution indicators actually an alcoholism at youth remain at stable enough level which is not exceeding 5 % of patients till 20 years and 8-10 % of patients till 25 years (from total number registered). This fact has basic value as testifies to dynamics of occurrence and development of early forms of alcoholism in complete structure of alcoholic disease.

Many researchers ascertain the tendency to increase in consumption of alcoholic drinks and disease growth by a chronic alcoholism last decades. In Canada to achieve reduction of places of sale of alcoholic drinks, cost of the patent for the pub maintenance is finished in separate districts to 10 thousand river Great value in business of struggle against an