Russia may introduce drug testing for students and schoolchildren in 2011, State Antidrug Committee deputy head Oleg Trifonov said on Wednesday.
The issue of student drug testing was raised by the Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in September 2009, who at that time said he backed mandatory drug testing for schoolchildren.
"The earlier we introduce the system [of testing], the more teenagers we will save," Trifonov said. "We would like this to happen in 2011," he added.
An estimated 90% of heroin consumed in Russia is trafficked from Afghanistan via the ex-Soviet states of Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, and most of the heroin sold in Europe passes through Russia on its way from Afghanistan.
TOMSK, February 16 (RIA Novosti)
