Cheers to the north

Murmansk and Arkhangelsk are both among Russia’s most-drinking regions, Patchwork Barents reports.

According to the website, a news and data portal, the volumes of purchased alcohol drinks in the regions exceed the national average substantially, sometimes multifold.

Drinking is also significant in the neighboring regions of Komi, Nenets and Karelia, Patchwork Barents informs.

On the very top of the Russian drinking ranking is the Nenets Autonomous Okrug (AO), a remote region of oilmen and indigenous peoples. There, the average per person consumption per year amounts 45.4 liters per person, about four time more than the national average. In the Republic of Karelia the average is 19 liters, and in Arkhangelsk Oblast - 18.5 liters. In the Komi Republic people drink an average of 17.7 liters and in Murmansk Oblast - 17.5 liters.

Fighting alcohol abuse, Russian authorities have over the last years taken a number of restrictive measures against the alcohol industry. In all parts of the country, a ban on alcohol sales at night has been introduced. In addition, alcohol sales in the buildings of educational institutions have been prohibited and a ban has been introduced on alcohol advertising in the media. Also, minimum prices for alcohol products have been introduced. 

However, Russians are not easily giving up on their alcohol habits.

According to Health Minister Veronika Skvortsova, the problem of alcoholism in Russia is currently more acute than ever. In a recent speech by the minister, she stated that mortality is on the increase in Russia, and that alcohol has a major part of the blame, Newsru.com reports.

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