Drug - Arrest

I'm basically doing this project to show how bad the drug is. Druggies know it's bad, but they do because they have nothing else to do - no job, no document, no money, no fun etc etc. It also causes worse things like the spread of HIV by needle sharing. And, some of them get arrested, spend time in prison and again go back with some exceptions. Police are doing something, but there are too many to deal with. Here is the scene of a druggie getting arrested. He is 28 old and taking drug for about 10 years. When he gets arrested, I asked a question, for which answer would be pretty obvious. I asked if he regrets taking drug, sure he said yes. But, it doesn't mean that he would quit and do something after getting out the prison a few years later.

More Drug

Some more drug scenes. One of them, Andrei, 32, is a drug addict, dealer and cooker. He started drug in 1992 during the chaotic time in Ukraine after the Soviet Collaps. "I'm a veteran, so to speak" he said. He said he makes money for drug by selling, cooking, teaching "newbies," gambling and "ripping off" people. "I don't care about life," he said.

Drug 2 - Sibik

This is another druggie sibik, 35, who has been taking drug for almost
twenty years since he was in prison. I photographed his drug scene, but i hope to go back as well.
He is sick because the drug caused some problems with
his blood circulation. His legs are swollen, also when
he had a problem with his blood circulation on his finger years ago
because of the drug, he cut his finger by himself like yakuza instead
of receiving treatment at hospital. Since then, he has been keeping
the finger that turned like smoked scallop on his shelf. He is actually friendly and
inteligent person at least when not desparetely in need for drug.

Drug&AIDS - Sasha

I followed several drug addicts and/or HIV/AIDS patients last week. I'm still trying to figure out whether i can make a drug&AIDS in one essay. Anyway, i will try to continue to follow those people. Here is Саша (Sasha), 55, who has been a drug addict for decades after he spent some time in prison when he was 17. He said everything seemed shattered when he was in prison and started taking drug. Since then, he has been with drug. He said he regrets and wants to start over his life. He was infected with HIV about 7 years ago when he used unwashed needles. He said the number of needles were sold at once, and a lot of his friends who bought the needles at the same time were infected with HIV. "Everyone died except me. I don't know why i'm still alive." He said drug now became a medicine for pain killer - he has skin cancer, gustric ulcer and hepititus beside HIV. His HIV has reached the third phace, but he is still working some random jobs for money. There are not so many older drug addicts in Ukraine as many of them started around the confusion in the chaotic time after the Soviet's collapse.

Drug&AIDS 1

AIDS is still a big problem in Ukraine. The number of patients is still increasing. The causes of the spread of the disease are the needle sharing and sex. Many people in the extreme poverty endedd up taking drug or becoming prostitutes, and thus the helpless and vicious circle sets in. No money, but they want drug. Then, they don't care if they use risky old needles or new ones. This issue has been reported for years, and there are some international and domestic efforts to change it. But again, the numer is still increasing. I hope to continue this project for a while.