Unsung Heroes from the East

"Vitalij" is a well known figure in the Eastern European marijuana legalization movement: a former dealer and smuggler turned freedom fighter and pot activist. He's currently behind bars in the Ukraine - but that won't stop him from exposing the truth about the system to Soft Secrets readers!

Welcome to the wild wild East! The names have been changed to protect the innocent!

“Vitalij” is a well known figure in the Eastern European marijuana legalization movement: a former dealer and smuggler turned freedom fighter and pot activist. He’s currently behind bars in the Ukraine – but that won’t stop him from exposing the truth about the system to Soft Secrets readers!

Welcome to the wild wild East! The names have been changed to protect the innocent!

SS: Vitalji, please tell us something about yourself.

Vitalij: I’m in my late 30s, and have been involved in the marijuana scene all my adult life, for almost 20 years now. I did some growing, smuggling, dealing, then got involved in pro-pot activism. It can be a scary thing to do here in Ukraine – as you can see, I am now doing time in prison for my ‘sins’.

We talk through Skype, and you're being held in this maximum security prison. How is this possible, this live broadcast from prison?

It’s not really maximum security, more like medium, at least the part that I’m in right now. I have Skype installed in my phone, as many others here in my block. It’s  something normal.

My guess is that this isn’t illegal?

Of course not. But that's nothing unusual. Phones, and many other things, are sold by the prison guards. They’re crazy poor, like everybody else, and they try to make some money this way. Typically, they form a ‘company’ with snitches. Guards keep the business going together with the spies, so if someone does not know the system or is not discreet and makes phone calls in the open, first they sell him the phone, and after a few days come to confiscate it and cause problems. They sell it to someone else again, and so on. Business is booming. Spies are everywhere. You are sitting on the same bed with them sometimes. They will be nice to you and smoke grass with you and then report to the guards what you have or are doing. And so it goes - selling, confiscating, selling again.

Prison tattoos. Stars on the knees mean that this man will not kneel down before anyone.

To me, it sounds a bit like prisons in South America. How widespread is this phenomenon? Do you have firearms as well, as happens sometimes in a Colombian prison?

No, we do not have real weapons, that's too much (laughs). But the phones are popular. Depends where, of course – poor people without any money or friends have nothing, but there are blocks where 20 people have at least 15 phones. If you have the money, then there is no problem with buying anything.

What kind of tiurma (in Russian: prison) are you are locked in now?

It’s more like a prison camp, a ‘gulag’ if you know what I mean. There are more than 2000 prisoners in a couple of one-story buildings. It's like a village surrounded by a wall and a belt of death – if you try to cross it, you can be shot without warning. Blocks look like school buildings. Most people live in large halls, 60 people or more in one room. Totally over-crowded - bunk beds, etc. People try to get a minimum of privacy with screens made from clothes or a blanket, but it helps very little. With this number of people there is always some shit going on. Unless you do a lot of weed or sleeping pills, you can’t really find peace during the day-time. Even at night it can be stressful.

What is your advice for Western visitors and tourists not to get into trouble while staying in Ukraine?

Stay away from drugs! Of course, if you do not have good friends there. Often the dealers cooperate with the police and snitch on clients immediately after a transaction. Western tourists, in the eyes of the locals, seem very rich. Corruption is everywhere and the whole system will try to drain them, make them spend as much money as possible on lawyers, bribes, etc. Sometimes you can get away as a tourist with a small bribe at the first stage of the process – when you are stopped by traffic police officers or ordinary ‘street-walkers’. In this scenario, you should always have you an extra few hundred dollars with you (still preferable to Euros in this part of the world – and it’s cheaper for you), at least a hundred dollar bill, just in case. But with the planned actions and provocations,  and organized police work, y’know, you can see crazy shit happening. The policeman, prosecutor, judge, lawyer - they all know each other and share the money. And then a little is not enough. Even if you are clean and do not buy drugs from anyone, keep your eyes on your own things in a disco or a night club - they may plant some drugs in your bag or jacket. And do not pretend to be an important and influential person, because then bribery may not help at all. They will be afraid –not of you, but of their bosses and the publicity surrounding the case. To show that they are not corrupt, they may make you a scapegoat.

Similar things have happened recently in Belarus, and the press warns tourists going there pretty much the same way you do.

Global Marijuana March in Kiev, the capital of Ukraine.

Well, of course, in the so-called Third World – the countries in Latin America, Africa, Asia – it’s also similar but there you also have some racial motives. Whites are often seen not only as rich, but also the class enemy, the former oppressor and aggressor. Here, it’s more relaxed I guess, no race war or hatred, just a game to steal your money. Not your life. I know that many Western tourists are quite afraid of an expedition to eastern parts of Europe, even to Prague. For them, it’s the wild East. They have a point - poverty breeds violence. Better not to try the product in a suspected den, because instead of grass you can ignite something that will be the worst trip of your life. After a few minutes you can come back from orbit utterly robbed and broke, even without your shoes. There are even drugs in the street, various military truth serums, used by the mafia guys to make someone a passive zombie, and make him go with them to the bank and the notary, and give away his house, car, the money in a bank account, and all you've got. The best part of the story is the second day: he will not remember anything. Anyway, here it is not worth the risk even to drink alcohol with a stranger - you might drink some fuel and not wake up or go blind. With other drugs it is not so much different.

Tell us some more interesting stories from the local drug culture.

There is a bandit here nicknamed "The Devil", and a second - "Madman". Real freaks and junkies, but also professional gang members. Charlie Sheen compared to them with his addiction to crack cocaine is a kid. Peasants weighing 120 kilos can drink a lot, or do a lot of drugs. The funny thing is that they used to force-feed drugs to everyone around them. It was no joke. Then, with people crazy high, they could persuade them to do other crazy things, such as a mother and daughter or two sisters in a threesome or foursome to have sex. It happened sometimes that on the second day after the party, these women tried to commit suicide. Drugs are dangerous toys, you have to know your surroundings, your little sandbox. Life has taught me: no matter what kind of drugs you do, it's important to know with whom you do these drugs.

What would you advise to someone new in a Ukrainian prison?

To be a decent man. A normal person, with principles of honor. Do not sit there too quietly or too loud, just be yourself. You cannot be afraid or pushed around. If people notice that someone is fearful, it may mean that he will not be too brave when dealing with the police or guards and will snitch. So better separate him from normal people and their things. If you follow the rules, you're normal, you're not a snitch - nothing bad will happen to you. There is no random violence or unpleasantness.

What are you in for?

Global Marijuana March in Kiev, the capital of Ukraine.

I personally consider myself a political prisoner. As long as governments are able to arbitrarily decide which drugs are legal and which are not - contrary to facts and science, I will fight. We Slavs have a big problem with alcoholism. In Russia each year nearly one million people die of alcohol abuse! How many people have died from marijuana? Zero! For thousands of years of history. And where is the justice, public health care? Tobacco is not even worth mentioning. You are supposed not to live long enough to see your retirement money. This is a genocidal policy. Pot growers, dealers, smugglers are the real heroes of the underground, of the neighborhood.

How’s the infamous police brutality?

Yes, in this respect, not much has changed since the days of communism. If you’re local – if you’re a tourist, you have no reason to worry. But if you’re local, the questioning at the police station may be the last thing you will remember in your life. If you do not have any protection inside or outside prison, some sadists can scare you for life. Suicide or accidental deaths at the police station or in jail are not uncommon. The authorities allow such a possibility and the prison administration does not assume in this respect any responsibility. Of course, if everything is "normal", that is probably about 5% in the total number of prisoners. A man here is a statistic, a number.

I heard that you work hard for peanuts, like the prisoners in the United States.

It's true. The monthly rate is 120 hryvnias, which  is less than 10 euros. One can buy with it a little watermelon (laughs). Unless you crush stones, then you earn 200-300 hryvnias! Work is not mandatory, but if you are reluctant to work, the guards can disrupt your daily life. So, many people march to work every day - in leaky shoes, in rain or snow.

Is cannabis popular in Ukraine?

Ruderalis grows wild in many places. Hemp has always been a very important part of Eastern European culture.

Sure it is. Our society is quite diverse ethnically. Even in Soviet times a lot of people from the Asian republics were smoking, where it is a normal part of the culture. Gypsies here have many plantations. Lots of young people grow it, there are many forests and green areas, although the penalties are severe.

What is the penalty for drug possession?

If you are carrying more than 5 grams of anything, you may get up to 8 years in prison. Admit it, 5 grams can be easily dropped on someone, even in your pocket. Once you reach for it, you leave your fingerprints on it and you're cooked. That’s how they arranged it for my friend.

Thank you for your time and we wish you your freedom ASAP. Any last words for our readers? 

I wish you all more luck than I had, so that you never end up in prison. I know many young people fancy the idea of going to prison but trust me: it’s no fun. Freedom for hemp and amnesty for its users!

Interview: Chronic User