Trouble brewing?
July 21, 2011
Dmitry Medvedev has decided that beer consumption has gone out of control in his country. The Russian president signed a law on Wednesday that will restrict the sale of beer, ban all commercials for the beverage and prohibit its consumption except in private homes, bars or restaurants.
Russian men drink more alcohol per year than most other Europeans, a large percentage of it in the form of beer. Alcohol abuse is one of the main causes of the high mortality rate in Russia.
The current life expectancy of Russian men is 60 years – and not only due to chronic problems such as liver disease. Many die from alcohol poisoning, traffic accidents, murders, suicides and work accidents linked to alcohol consumption.
Kiosk ban
That makes beer just as bad as any other alcoholic drink, according to parliamentarian Sergei Mironov, who supported the law.
"Unfortunately, today Russia is drinking too much. Alcoholism among youth resulting from beer consumption is very dangerous, and we think that it's high time to restrict its sale and consumption," said Mironov.
The aim of the new law is to further restrict access to alcohol, especially to young people, according to Yevgeny Fyodorov of the ruling party United Russia.
"A large part of this law is devoted to reducing the availability of alcohol in Russia. For example, from 2013 selling alcohol in street kiosks will be prohibited. As a result we will get rid of these centers of criminal activity in our cities. Also the sale of alcohol, including beer, during the night will stop."
Unhappy brewers
Needless to say, beer producers are not happy with the new measures, which they deem too harsh. Last week they sent a letter to president Medvedev, asking him not to forbid the sale of beer during the night from kiosks. In many rural areas, they argued, that is the only way to buy reliable alcohol, and now people will be forced to look elsewhere. The plea was ignored.
The beer ban will also mean that beer commercials will disappear from television, which will be bad news for organizers of big sports events.
Some analysts have their doubts as to whether the new measures will really bring down alcohol consumption in Russia. Earlier restrictions have not led to a significant decrease, and many believe people will simply adapt to the new rules and buy their alcohol before the shops close.
By the same token, it's assumed that alcoholics are likely to resort to other and cheaper ways to get their daily dose.
And it remains unclear just how much the police are going to keep an eye on all the forests and parks where many Russians like to enjoy their beverage.
Author: Geert Groot Koerkamp / rc
Editor: Ben Knight