Another Russia

Government launches new anti-alcohol campaign

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin approved the concept of anti-alcohol policy designed for the next decade. By 2020, the state intends to more than halve the consumption of strong alcoholic beverages in the country, develop winemaking, completely eliminate the illegal alcohol market, and significantly reduce mortality due to poisoning and alcohol abuse. It was proposed to develop specific programs for the implementation of the concept by regional authorities.

The fundamental decision on the need to develop a concept for state anti-alcohol policy was made at meetings with Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on June 23 and President Dmitry Medvedev on August 12 last year. The document entitled “Concept for the implementation of state policy to reduce the abuse of alcohol and prevent alcoholism among the population of the Russian Federation for the period until 2020” was approved by a resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers, signed by the Prime Minister, on December 30, 2009, but appeared on the official government website only yesterday . Obviously, the authorities decided not to spoil the New Year's mood of Russians by talking about the dangers of alcohol and the terrible consequences of its abuse. Meanwhile, almost half of the twelve-page document is devoted to this.

In pre-revolutionary Russia, alcohol consumption was at the level of 0.83 liters of pure alcohol per capita per year. This was perhaps the lowest figure in Europe. The sharp increase in the popularity of alcohol began, it turns out, in the mid-70s of the last century. By the early 1990s (that is, at the end of the anti-alcohol campaign of the last Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev), Russians on average consumed 5.4 liters of alcoholic beverages per person in terms of pure alcohol. By 2008, this figure reached 10 liters for every Russian, including infants. And taking into account alcohol-containing products and home-made alcohol that are unsuitable for domestic consumption, but still consumed, for each citizen of Russia, according to the calculations of the authors of the concept, there are 18 liters of anhydrous alcohol per year.

According to calculations by experts from the World Health Organization, each liter of pure alcohol consumed over 8 liters per capita per year takes 11 months of life for men and 4 months for women. It is for this reason, as noted in the government document, that since 1992 there has been a constant decline in the life expectancy of citizens in Russia. In our country, 23 thousand people die annually from accidental alcohol poisoning, and more than 75 thousand people a year from diseases associated with alcohol abuse. “In modern Russia, alcohol abuse leads to premature death of people from preventable causes and is one of the main causes of social degradation of a certain part of society, which is expressed in an increase in crime, violence, orphanhood, in deteriorating health, an increase in disability and suicide cases,” -- noted in the concept.

One of the priority tasks of the state’s new anti-alcohol policy is “reorienting the population towards leading a sober and healthy lifestyle.” To achieve this goal, it is planned, in particular, to “organize new types of recreation and leisure for young people and adults, excluding the tradition of drinking alcoholic beverages.” Almost a third of the document is devoted to the state’s intentions to strengthen anti-alcohol propaganda, including “in places where citizens work.” For this purpose, it is planned to create specialized social movements, societies, and clubs.

An interesting point is that it proposes to “limit (up to a complete ban) hidden advertising of alcoholic products that attracts public attention, especially children and youth.” Earlier, there were reports in the press about the initiatives of the Ministry of Health and Social Development to ban scenes of drinking alcohol in films. The head of Rospotrebnadzor, Gennady Onishchenko, recently spoke about the same thing. It is not yet clear whether this ban, as during Gorbachev’s anti-alcohol campaign, will apply to previously released and foreign films. Then, to fulfill it, many films were censored, and the famous “Irony of Fate, or Enjoy Your Bath!” completely banned.

The concept states that our country produces low-alcohol drinks in which the combination of ethyl alcohol and tonic substances (in particular caffeine) leads to the formation, especially among young people, of a physiological need for their daily consumption. Apart from the previously announced intention to limit the volume of containers for low-alcohol drinks to 0.33 liters, the concept does not contain other sanctions for these alcoholic drugs. But there will definitely be a ban on placing information on labels about the presence of biologically active substances in alcoholic beverages that have medicinal and other health-improving properties.

However, the state does not rely solely on the power of persuasion in the fight against drunkenness and intends to actively use financial incentives. Thus, the structure of alcohol consumption, of which now more than half is vodka and other strong alcoholic drinks, will change due to “creating conditions for the development of Russian winemaking and increasing the production of Russian quality wines.”

The government also promises to increase the efficiency of regulation of the alcohol market, talks about “the use of price and tax measures to reduce the availability of alcoholic products for the population, especially for young people,” and warns of its intention to “create mechanisms for applying social responsibility measures to alcohol producers.” As part of the implementation of these points of the concept, from January 1, 2010, a minimum price of 89 rubles has already been introduced in Russia. for 0.5 liters of vodka. The excise tax on ethyl alcohol and alcoholic products will soon be increased. The government also intends to strengthen administrative and introduce criminal liability for violations in the production and circulation of alcoholic products, as well as for the sale of alcohol to minors.

In addition, the government promises to improve the quality and availability of medical drug treatment and limit the sale of alcoholic beverages “by place and time.”

The government intends to implement the state anti-alcohol policy in two stages. At the first (2010-2012), the necessary changes will be made to legislation and programs to popularize a healthy lifestyle will be developed. In the next three years, it is planned to reduce alcohol consumption by the population by 15% and reduce mortality due to alcohol abuse. Based on the results of the second stage (2013-2020), the state intends to eliminate the illegal alcohol market and reduce alcohol consumption by 55%, especially among children and youth.

The head of the Center for Research on the Federal and Regional Alcohol Market (CIFRRA), Vadim Drobiz, called the adopted concept “a good framework document.” But he points out that a different approach to alcohol consumers has become widespread in the West. “In Russia, they are treated like little children who walked into a store, saw a bottle of vodka, and immediately wanted to buy it and drink it. There must be personal responsibility on the part of the consumer for alcohol abuse. And this personal responsibility must be strengthened,” the alcohol market specialist is confident. In his opinion, this should fully apply to children who drink alcohol. “They can be involved in public works: let them clear snow, sweep the streets,” says Mr. Drobiz.

The head of CIFRRA is convinced that “80% of the success or failure of this anti-alcohol campaign will depend on the government’s socio-economic policy, income level and quality of life of the population.”

“75 million Russians are normal people who drink no more than 11 liters of alcohol per year,” says Mr. Drobiz. - They may well reduce consumption by one or two liters. But there are another 25 million people with incomes of less than 5 thousand rubles. per month. These are the people who drink surrogate, illegal vodka - up to 40 liters of absolute alcohol per year. Getting these people to reduce their consumption is very difficult. I am afraid that there will be a significant influx into this group, since it will not be possible to overcome the crisis within ten years; the economic situation for the poor and low-income people is unlikely to improve.”

This influx could be reduced by a powerful youth socio-economic policy - providing decently paid work, an effective housing policy. “Only then will they start families and have children,” Mr. Drobiz believes.

“The figures included in the concept are, of course, voluntaristic and unrealistic,” the head of CIFRRA is convinced. - But it doesn’t matter at all. These are landmarks." According to his calculations, today the real consumption of alcohol is not 18, but 13 liters per person per year, if we count the entire population of the country, and 14.5-14.9 liters for citizens over 14 years of age. “If the figure can be reduced to 11.5 liters, this will be a very good result,” believes Vadim Drobiz.

Anti-alcohol campaigns in Russia

Almost simultaneously with the outbreak of the First World War in August 1914, prohibition was introduced in Russia by decree of Emperor Nicholas II, which was formally abolished by the Bolsheviks only in 1925. The production of vodka during these years was completely prohibited.

In 1958, the sale of vodka was prohibited in all trade and public catering establishments (except for restaurants) located at stations and station squares, at airports, in the immediate vicinity of industrial enterprises, educational and children's institutions, hospitals, sanatoriums, in places of mass celebrations and rest.

In 1972, the start of the first anti-alcohol campaign was announced. The production of strong drinks has decreased, and the government has increased their prices. The production of vodka stronger than 45% was prohibited. The sale of alcoholic beverages was limited in time - from 11 to 19 hours. In return, the production of grape wine, beer and soft drinks was expanded. Labor treatment centers were created, where people could be sent forcibly. Scenes with alcohol consumption were cut from films.

In 1985, the most famous Gorbachev-Ligachev anti-alcohol campaign began. The production of all alcoholic beverages was sharply reduced, and vineyards were cut down en masse. The number of stores selling alcohol was reduced several times. It was traded only from 14:00 to 19:00. In a number of regions, trading actually began at 18.00. The entrance to such stores was separated from places where other goods were traded.

None of these campaigns reduced alcohol consumption by the population.

Putin's plan

The Russian government has included a number of components of smoking mixtures, which have become widespread, in the list of narcotic substances, thereby prohibiting their circulation. The corresponding government decree was published on Thursday, RIA Novosti reports.

In particular, the updated list of narcotic and psychotropic substances prohibited for circulation includes such common components of smoking mixtures as “fortune sage leaf” (Salvia Divinorum species), “salvinorin A”, “Hawaiian rose seeds” (Argyrea Nervosa species), "blue lotus flower and leaves" (species Nymphea Caerulei). According to the decree, the distribution of these substances in large and especially large quantities is prohibited, and plants containing these substances are prohibited from growing.

Previously, the Ministry of Health and Social Development came up with a proposal to limit the consumption of smoking mixtures, tightening responsibility for their distribution and sale. The head of Rospotrebnadzor, Gennady Onishchenko, also spoke out for a complete ban on the circulation of smoking mixtures that have hallucinogenic properties.

Andrey SUSAROV