Britain should welcome Ukrainians with drug problems – they desperately need our help

If Russia takes control of Ukraine, harm reduction and treatment will be terminated – a move that is sure to cultivate blood-borne viruses such as HIV and hepatitis

For those with drug problems who are unable to leave Ukraine, the future looks increasingly bleak (Getty Images)

The war in Ukraine is filling the headlines – but behind the scenes is another battle that has been raging since 2011: Vladimir Putin’s war on drugs.

The Russian president recently accused the Ukrainian leadership of being “a gang of drug addicts”, making clear his view of Ukrainian politicians – as well as people who are dependent on drugs.

His strident views on addiction are well-documented: in 2011, he declared “total war” on those that use drugs; yet, paradoxically, the number of Russians using drugs rose from an estimated 6 million in 2011, to the most recent estimate of 8 million people in 2018. In my view, this only serves to demonstrate how this punitive policy facilitates expansion – rather than contraction – of drug use.