Substance abuse problems in the Magadan Region of the Russian Far East

People in the Magadan Region are hopeful that citizens of Alaska will make contact with Native peoples, especially in the Magadan region. Right now, rates of alcohol-related problems are high and economic difficulties are leading to cutbacks in existing programs (see Chart 2). Alaskans have much good experience and information to share, and there is a lot that can be accomplished, as illustrated by the story of the recovering woman, and her influence upon people by example. Dynamics of the morbidity of alcoholism and alcoholic psychosis in regions of Siberia and the Far East. Chart 3 shows dramatic rises in alcoholism/alcoholic psychosis rates between 1965 and 1985. On the scale used, rates were about 20 per 10,000 in 1965, and in 1985 were about 250 per 10,000. Rates appear to be higher in the Far East, to be second highest in Western Siberia, and to be slightly lower in Eastern Siberia. Rates for Russia as a whole seem to have followed the same general trend towards rising, but are somewhat lower than the rates given for Siberia and the Soviet Far East. Two questions arise out of this data: 1. Why the increase since 1965? 2. Why worse in the Far East?