Russia govt goes ‘nyet, nyet’ on Vodka

Describing it as a "national disaster," the Russian government has launched a campaign against alcohol abuse aiming to halve consumption by 2020, and rooting out illegal production and sales altogether. Alcoholism has taken a heavy toll on the health of Russians, being held responsible for high levels of mortality – critically, among working-age men.

Staraya Sloboda Vodka

Alcohol consumption in Russia is more than double the critical level set by the World Health Organization, a WHO report said last fall.

Russia reports annual deaths of more than 23,000 citizens from alcohol poisoning and another 75,000 from alcohol-related diseases, according to official statistics. The Russian Public Chamber in a June report said that around 500,000 Russians die from alcohol-related deaths annually.

The consumer watchdog, Rospotrebnadzor, said more than 2 million people suffer from alcoholism in Russia.

The government said Wednesday it had approved a national plan that would lay down criminal punishment for illegal production and sale of alcohol, restrict advertising and also attempt to promote a healthy lifestyle.

"The first phase (2010-2012) will include measures to cut alcohol consumption by 15 per cent per capita... The second phase (2012-2020) will see the elimination of the illegal alcohol market and a reduction in consumption levels by 55 per cent," the government said.