In Russia will start to grow opium poppy
The Ministry is preparing the relevant amendments to the criminal code and other regulations.
The Ministry is going to legalize the production of narcotic plants in Russia. As told “Izvestia” in the Ministry, the Ministry is preparing a bill that would remove the current ban on the commercial cultivation of opium poppy for the production of painkillers. Today, all narcotic drugs, even produced in Russia, are manufactured from imported raw materials.
The Ministry proposes to permit the cultivation of narcotic plants only in the industrial purposes and not for personal use.
The Ministry said that the production of narcotic drugs on a full cycle to be of priority importance for the development of the pharmaceutical industry.
In the Russian Federation registered 13 opioid drugs (nine of them are included in the list of vital and essential drugs), which are produced by Federal state unitary enterprises of imported active pharmaceutical ingredients. In the world market of opium substances are 10 foreign companies, — told “Izvestia” representatives of the Ministry of industry and trade.
In Russia now allowed the cultivation of narcotic plants for use in scientific, educational purposes and in the interests of expertise.
According to article 18 of the law “On narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances” prohibits the cultivation of plants for industrial purposes. Prepared by the Ministry of industry and trade, the bill proposes removing this prohibition. The changes also will make the article 228.2 of the criminal code of Russian Federation (“Infringement of rules of turnover of narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances”), specified in the Ministry.
As told “Izvestia”, familiar with the discussions, the initiator of the amendments made by Moscow endocrine plant (OEP) is a state-owned enterprise, which is engaged in the production of narcotic drugs. Deputy Director for production of Mez Irina Lukashin confirmed “news” that they are working on this issue. A detailed review of the company could not provide.
The source of “Izvestia”, took part in the discussion of the amendments, said that the representatives of the main Department on control over drug trafficking of the interior Ministry did not support the initiative. The Department believes that for the production of drugs with the content of narcotic substances sufficient volume of seized illicit drugs — there is already a practice of their processing in medical preparations. The interior Ministry declined to comment.
Director of research Institute of health organization and management health David Melik-Huseynov praised the market in painkillers based on opium in Russia in the $20-40 million (approximately $ 1.2−2.4 billion). He noted that both in monetary terms and in terms of packages, the share of such drugs is no greater than 0.5% of the total pharmaceutical market.
Volumes of import of raw material (poppy straw), according to him, estimate is not possible. Our database of FTS is the nomenclature of “poppy straw, used in perfumery, pharmacy or for similar purposes”, but the import statistics for this category is missing.
Head of the Botanical garden of the Russian research Institute of medicinal and aromatic plants Andrei Tsitsilin told that need for the production of opioid painkillers alkaloids contained in poppy oil, which can grow in the black earth zones of Central Russia, Bashkiria and the Volga region.
30 years ago, when its commercial cultivation was allowed, our productivity is not inferior to foreign in Spain, Hungary, and Slovakia. The production also wasn’t expensive. Now, of course, technology has moved forward, and raises the question of our own varieties is grown or imported, — said Andrei Tsitsilin.
Deputy Director of the Association of Russian pharmaceutical manufacturers Elena Maslovskaya said that Russia will not be able to grow plants for export, because each country must obtain permission from the International Committee on drug control.
To obtain such permission is almost impossible, because the world market is already divided between producers, — said Elena Maslovskaya.
David Melik-Guseinov said that “all narcotic analgesics are inexpensive”, so do not be afraid of a significant increase in the ultimate cost of a drug. He also added that these drugs “people are not paying from their own pocket”, the state purchases.
Drugs and analgesics use persons with severe pain, such as cancer patients, mainly in the last stage. The need for this category of product is always there. At least half a million people have a need for narcotic analgesia.
To date, all narcotic drugs, even produced in Russia, are manufactured from imported raw materials, because in Russia it is not. We have to protect themselves from all foreign circumstances and to establish its own production, — the expert believes.
The cultivation of “opium” varieties of poppy was prohibited in 1987 by decision of the Council of Ministers of the USSR. Before the cultivation of poppies and production of opium were engaged in “Leckstrom”. Plantations were in the territory of the Kirghiz SSR. The selection of opium poppy were engaged in all-Union Institute of medicinal plants, even developed some of their own varieties — “Przewalski-222”, “Przewalski-D250” and “Przewalski-133”.