A toast to the Bear

Russia is one of those cases in which stereotypes sometimes dovetail with reality. Say Russia and you think of a drunken man with a bottle of vodka. Be in Russia and you are likely to be welcomed by the same man.

Alcoholism has always been a problem for the country, but it has taken a long time for its urgency to be spelt out. After all, vodka and alcohol have a cultural and social valence which should not been undervalued. For ages the ritual of drinking has meant for the Russian population escapism from a difficult reality and a way to connect with the others. The authorities, in addition, contributed to reinforce the practice. Alcohol consumption was one of the most effective ways to increase revenues. The tsar Ivan IV understood and took advantage of this as much as the communist governments in the 20^th century. Because of the lack of reliable data, however, it is difficult to say to what extent the problem was widespread at the time. Not until the 1990s and the establishment of democratic institutions it was possible to understand that alcoholism was seriously threatening society. Under Yeltsin things worsened even further, with economic crisis dragging people into an abyss of depression and binge drinking.

Nowadays data are available to anyone. The latest studies estimate that the average Russian drinks 18 litres of pure alcohol every year, ½ pint per week. Alcohol related diseases are thought to be the cause of half the deaths of Russian citizens aged between 15 and 54. More children are, indeed, becoming alcohol addicted earlier in their life (first drink at 13). The population is gradually and inexorably shrinking by 700,000 a year, the average Russian is not likely to live up to 60. Demographic crisis and consequent economic damage look scarier and scarier to the Russian government. New trends in drinking habits, moreover, constitute further challenges that must be faced as soon as possible. Beer and alcoholic energy drinks are becoming increasingly popular among the young generation, easily captured by catchy slogans and vivid advertising.

Something must be done. Certainly the precedents are not extremely well-wishing. In 1985 Mikhail Gorbachev embarked on a failed attempt of enacting curbs to alcohol consumption. Restrictions on alcohol stores’ opening hours were introduced, Crimean vineyards were destroyed, alcohol was banned during official events. At that time,  in spite of a sharp decrease in alcohol sales and increase in life expectancy the majority of the population did not welcome too warmly the initiative. As a result, black market spread and alcoholism became an even more risky business.

President Dmitri Medvedev seems to be taking into consideration new measures to fight the problem, and we all hope he will be able to enforce them more successfully than Gorbachev. According to official data, 65% of the population has already expressed its support for the government’s new approach. In August, at an official meeting in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, Medvedev defined alcoholism a ‘national disaster’ and since then has increasingly stirred the debate on the issue. In September 2009  he gave his officials three months to enact restrictions and measure to tackle the problem. He ordered Prime Minister Vladimir Putin to follow a trilateral strategy, focusing on a media campaign, restrictions on consumption and can sizes, and strict penalties for selling to minors. Starting from January 2010 vodka prices have been raised. To what extent these policies will work remains a mystery. Judging from what can be seen here in Moscow things have not changed that much so far. People still walk around holding their bottles of beer, drunkards still take naps on the metro and pretty girls still down vodka shots to feel prettier. Bad habits are hard to kill. But maybe at some point they will die.

Nunc est bibendum