Alcohol in Russia

Alcohol has been a major health concern in Russia, especially for men of working age. Excessive alcohol use has caused many early deaths. Alcoholism in Russia, according to some authors, has reached the level of a national disaster and a humanitarian catastrophe. Starting in the early 2000s, Russia has implemented a variety of anti-alcoholism measures, such as banning sales at night, raising taxes, and banning the advertising of alcohol. These policies have resulted in a considerable fall of alcohol consumption to levels comparable with European Union averages.