Russland. Shlyapa I Bayan: 10 Years of Publishing Underground Drug News in Russia

Almost 10 years ago, the first issue of the newspaper "Hat and Bayan" was published. This newspaper, which literally became the successor to the magazine "The Brain", was published by people who use drugs, for people who use drugs - nothing like this had existed before.

The first editions had been issued in very modest numbers, but it quickly gained notoriety among readers, as it was distributed by hand by harm reduction activists, health workers and other interested people. People were hooked by the fact that this is not just another brochure, but a real publication about the life of people who use drugs, where you could find legal advice, useful articles about substances and harm reduction, as well as personal and creative stories of its contributors. Without the active participation of people who use drugs, there would be no such sections like the "Voices of the streets", "Rules of life" and "Poems".

Throughout this time, the newspaper persisted not because of, but despite self-censorship, a repressive drug policy system, social stigma and many other barriers. For the past couple of years, each issue felt like it could have been the last. This is due in particular to Russia's policy towards drugs, and everything and everyone connected with them.

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After a long break, on December 31, 2022, a special issue of Hat and Bayan, “War”, came out. It begins with the following words from their Editor-in-Chief:

“February 24, 2022 turned the lives of many people, including activists and activists, authors and authors, and the editor of the newspaper. Someone left Russia, someone plunged into a permanent depression, someone died from an overdose - everyone is different. But the war became the strongest experience in our lives, encroaching on our values ​​and worldview, deprived us of strength and hope. We tried to understand how in the 21st century it became possible to attack a neighbouring country, justify it with mythical Nazism, while receiving super profits from the sale of gas to Europe and striving to revive the chimera of the ‘Russian world’.” (Talking Drugs, UK, 16.02.2023)

https://www.talkingdrugs.org/hat-and-bayan-10-years-of-publishing-underground-drug-news-in-russia