In the Irkutsk administration they discussed how to strengthen drug abuse prevention and help in the rehabilitation and resocialization of drug addicts. At the meeting of the anti drug commission they spoke about city programs, rehabilitation centers and the new Generation Against Drugs foundation, which will focus on at risk teens and youth. They also stressed the need for an interagency agreement to build more systematic support, including employment and post rehabilitation assistance.

On September 3, a meeting of the anti-drug commission was held at the administration of the city of Irkutsk, chaired by Deputy Mayor Anton Logashov. The most important topic for discussion was the participation of the Irkutsk administration in activities related to the resocialization and rehabilitation of drug addicts.
At the commission meeting, the head of the Department of Health and Social Assistance to the Population of the administration of the city of Irkutsk, Natalia Taraban, noted in her report that the provision of medical care to drug-dependent persons and their rehabilitation, under federal laws, falls within the competence of state authorities. In Natalia Taraban’s opinion, issues of prevention and deterrence of drug addiction among the younger generation should be addressed individually, systematically, and directly with the involvement of public organizations. Treatment, rehabilitation, and monitoring of patients with drug addiction in Irkutsk are currently handled by the Irkutsk Regional Psychoneurological Dispensary. Social and medical rehabilitation, meanwhile, is carried out by eleven rehabilitation centers, nine of which have a religious and public origin and two of which are state organizations. Also operating in Irkutsk is the public association Association of the Irkutsk Region “Mothers Against Drugs.” All of these organizations do extensive work with drug addicts and their relatives, organize all kinds of assistance in education, job searching, providing temporary housing, and help with restoring documents and writing resumes. In March 2014, at the initiative of the Mayor of Irkutsk Viktor Kondrashov, the issue of creating a special fund was considered at the previous meeting of the anti-drug commission, with the aim of creating anti-drug preventive measures. In connection with the existing powers, preventive work is being carried out on the non-medical use of narcotic drugs and on motivating drug addicts to undergo treatment. Within the framework of the subprogram “Prevention of Diseases, Formation of a Healthy Lifestyle, and Participation in Sanitary and Hygienic Education of the Population in the City of Irkutsk,” various measures are being implemented to promote a healthy lifestyle and prevent diseases for 2014 and the planned period for 2015-2016, as well as the long-term target program “Healthy Generation for 2013-2017. In addition, the fund “Generation Against Drugs” is operating.
The municipal fund of the city of Irkutsk, "Generation Against Drugs," was headed by retired police lieutenant colonel Vitaly Ade. The lieutenant colonel was introduced at the meeting of the anti-drug commission; the head of the new structure has experience working in law enforcement agencies and a higher legal education. The main efforts of the non-profit fund will be directed toward working with the younger generation, teenagers, and young people at risk. Vitaly Ade said that the development of the fund’s action plan until the end of the year is nearing completion. The fund will focus on involving well-known people in Irkutsk in the problems of drug addiction and developing social advertising. The creation of the fund’s own website is also planned.
The Department of Health and Social Assistance to the Population carries out activities aimed at promoting a healthy lifestyle, and produces a variety of leaflets, posters, and promotional videos. Lessons, campaigns, and questionnaires are conducted in educational institutions. According to the results of sociological studies, a need for individual work with students who use alcohol and tobacco products has been identified.
Natalia Taraban emphasized that preventive work requires consolidated efforts by various departments and structures; it is necessary to consider concluding an interdepartmental agreement to implement a mechanism for the rehabilitation and resocialization of persons illegally using psychotropic and narcotic substances. This will make it possible to subsidize activities by socially oriented organizations. In addition, it will become possible to organize interaction with the Ministry of Labor and Employment of the Irkutsk Region on issues of employment of drug addicts in Irkutsk, the formation of data on employed citizens and the number of available jobs allocated for drug addicts who have already completed a socially oriented rehabilitation course
According to materials from the press service of the administration of the city of Irkutsk.