The Russians, heavy drinkers? A new report from the WHO reveals that alcohol consumption in the country has decreased by 43% since 2003. The French are even ahead.
Alcoholism has always been a problem in the land of the tsars, especially since the collapse of the Soviet Union. There was on average more than 15 liters of pure alcohol consumed per year by millions of Russians in the 90s. With, of course, the damage that goes with it. The life expectancy of men, at that time, did not exceed 57 years . But since the inauguration of Vladimir Putin, a sports enthusiast, certain measures have been taken with the aim of slowing down this consumption.
For example, stores are now prohibited from selling alcohol after 11 p.m. The minimum sale price for spirits has also increased. And it seems to be paying off.
“ The Russian Federation has long been considered one of the countries in the world with the highest alcohol consumption , says the new WHO report, adding that alcohol was a major contributor to the rise in deaths in the 1990s. However, in recent years these trends have been reversed ” .
We learn that since 2003, the consumption of pure alcohol in the country has fallen by 43% . Russians now drink less than 12 liters of pu alcohol a year . Either less than the French (about 12.5 liters) or the Germans (nearly 13 liters). The worst students are the Lithuanians, with more than 14 liters of pure alcohol per person consumed each year.
These new trends have had beneficial effects for the population, which has since experienced a resurgence in life expectancy. A record was even set last year, with 78 years of life expectancy for women and 68 years for men.
From a more general point of view, remember that excessive alcohol consumption is still too widespread . It would indeed be responsible for more than 5% of all deaths in the world, or approximately 3 million people per year , according to a WHO report published last September. Young people are also particularly affected by the problem (13.5% of deaths are linked to alcohol).
Going back to Russia, the authorities have also taken measures to fight against smoking . Strict restrictions were put in place in public places a few years ago, and for the past few days, it has even been forbidden to smoke on your balcony. Again, the results are encouraging. Tobacco consumption in the country is said to have decreased by 20% between 2009 and 2016 . "Only" one in three Russians now continues to smoke.
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