Can Russia Fix Its
Alcohol Problem By Banning Booze On Wednesdays?
By Dr.Fourkan
Ali
Russia will try anything to fight one of the
worst alcohol problems in the world.
Russia’s long battle
with alcoholism is no joke. But a lawmaker's proposal toban the sale and consumption of booze on Wednesdays seems like dark comedy
given the failure of past attempts at alcohol prohibition.
When Soviet leader
Mikhail S. Gorbachev attempted to cut vodka production and boost alcohol prices
in 1985, there was a surge in alcohol-poisoning deaths as many alcoholics
resorted to imbibing perfume, jet fuel, and other toxic alcohol-containing
substances. There was also an increase in crime and violence, and little
reduction in alcoholism, before the health crusade was abandoned.
Still, St. Petersburg
lawmaker Andrey Anokhin suggested last week that officials reduce hours for
alcohol sales throughout the week and make Wednesday a weekly "Temperance
Day.”
Both cities have
already suspended alcohol sales from 11pm to 8am and banned drinking in public
venues. Anokhin's bill would further extend hours of restricted sales to 10pm
to 11am, with some exceptions for bars and restaurants.
He proposes Wednesday
as an alcohol-free day, since it’s in the middle of the work week, when he
believes people should focus on their jobs, school work and families. Wednesday
is also the traditional day of fasting in the Russian Orthodox church.
The bill has not yet
been taken up for debate, but so far no other lawmakers have come out to
support it. Many believe the bill would face an uphill battle to pass, even
though alcohol consumption is a major public health and safety issue.
Another bill, proposed
last month by Anton Belyakov of the Federation Council, would raise the
nationwide drinking age from 18 to 21, the RBC news agency reported. It has
also not yet been considered for debate.
The country continues
to battle one of the worst alcohol problems in the world. One in three Russian
teenage boys and one in five teenage girls consume alcohol at least every other
day, according to a report from national consumer protection agency,
Rospotrebnadzor.
"The task of
prevention of alcohol addiction is coming to the fore in Russia, where about
500,000 alcohol-related deaths are reported a year," said the report.
"Some experts put the number of alcohol addicts in Russia at about 5
million, or 3.5% of the entire population."
Sources - The Fix
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