Russia, in midst of exploding HIV epidemic, plans to ban importation of condoms

[stevenleser]

Another brilliant move brought to you by the administration of Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/europe/russia-plans-to-stop-condom-imports-despite-rise-in-hiv-1.2311698

Russia has unveiled plans to ban state procurement of imported condoms, prompting a wave of risque jokes in the country’s media. But for anyone following the alarming rise in HIV infections in Russia the proposal was hardly a laughing matter.

Russia is one of the few places in the world where the HIV virus is still rapidly spreading, driven mainly by intravenous drug use and unprotected sex.

Within five years at least two million people are expected to be officially registered as HIV-positive, while three million – or 2 per cent of the total population – will be carrying the virus, according to Dr Vadim Pokrovsky, the head of the Russian Federal Aids Centre.

In most cases infection is an avoidable tragedy. However at “an adult level there are hardly any information campaigns to warn the public to take steps to protect themselves against the virus. We need to attend to these problems very urgently,” Dr Pokrovsky told The Irish Times.

[Hydra]

1. Zomg! Smite the wicked with AIDS!

It's like a bad B movie. Almost the same things we used to do.

[Thinkingabout]

2. Smart, huh, maybe W should look into his eyes and tell it is a stupid move.

[geek tragedy]

3. Tea Party nation. The ultimate red state.

It is widely held in Russia that locally made condoms are no match for the likes of Durex or Trojan. However, Dr Gennady Onishchenko, Russia’s former chief sanitary inspector, who now serves as a government adviser, said a shortage of condoms could boost both public morality and the birth rate.
“Latex goods are not related to health” and their scarcity would “force people to be more disciplined, stricter, and pickier when choosing partners and might bring some benefits to our society in solving the demographic problem”, he told Ria-Novosti news agency last week.

[gvstn]

5. Good God. This guy makes Putin sound sane.

[Orangepeel]

9. He sounds like he's on stage at a republican debate

Or a high school administrator in an abstinence only school district.

[spanone]

4. we live in a crazy ass upside down world.

[AnotherDreamWeaver]

6. K&R, it's a world health issue. nt

[Adrahil]

7. Durex and Trojan are CIA fronts!

Run by Victoria Nuland. True story.

[freshwest]

11. +1! And now, we celebrate! (VIDEO):

[joshcryer]

12. They are literally doing the exact opposite of common sense.

...on every fucking thing.