MOSCOW, December 11. /ITAR-TASS/. Support for anti-drugs campaigner Yevgeny Roizman in the mayoral race in Russia’s Urals city, Yekaterinburg, demonstrates that anti-drug activity is much in demand in the country today, head of the Federal Drugs Control Service Viktor Ivanov told a meeting of the state anti-drugs committee on Wednesday.

“Yevgeny Roizman’s anti-drug programs are on demand among people,” he said. “It is not coincidence that he has received such support in Yekaterinburg.”

Russia’s Finance Ministry refused to inject 1.8 billion rubles ($55 million) into a national drug rehabilitation program, Ivanov said.

“Unfortunately, there is still no state financial support, although we strongly cut the budget from 4 billion rubles ($122.2 million) to 1.8 billion rubles ($55 million) for 2014,” he said. “Without money the programme will not work and we will be unable to protect our society and to reduce the crime rate among youth.”

“But we do not have even this money,” he said. “The Finance Ministry’s rejection means that 8 million of drug abusers and 30 million of their relatives will remain without support.