Ban on selling alcohol to persons under the age of 21 and promoting healthy lifestyle are the anti-alcohol measures favored by most of Russians.
MOSCOW, September 14, 2018. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the data of a survey devoted to alcoholism.
Alcoholism is a problem recognized by many Russians (37% say there is an alcoholic in their families). Most of Russians are not indifferent when it comes to alcohol addiction and consider that alcohol consumption regulation is not strict enough. A number of anti-alcohol activities are widely supported.
Alcoholism is most commonly regarded as a disease that requires medical intervention (46%). However, almost one-third of respondents (31%) think that this is a social issue. Forty-one percent of respondents consider that the existing regulations to reduce alcohol consumption are not sufficient; only 8% say they are excessive. 32% say they are adequate.
As to measures to prevent alcohol abuse, the majority of Russians would support a ban to sell alcohol to persons under the age of 21 (58%) and promotion of healthy lifestyles (54% ); since 2005 (39%) the importance of the latter as well as a ban on alcohol advertising (49% in 2018 vs 57% in 2009) has considerably increased. At the same time, over the recent 13 years the share of those who opt for criminal punishment for alcohol drinking and being drunk in public has gone down (from 39% to 33%). The survey shows that the least popular measures are to increase the prices for alcohol production (21%) and to introduce a total ban (a dry law) (12%).
The VCIOM-Sputnik survey was conducted on September 6 2018. The survey involved 1,600 Russians aged 18 and over. The survey was telephone-based and was carried out using stratified dual-frame random sample based on a complete list of landline and mobile phone numbers operating in Russia. The data were weighted according to selection probability and social and demographic characteristics. The margin of error at a 95% confidence level does not exceed 2.5%. In addition to sampling error, minor changes in question wording and different circumstances arising during the fieldwork can introduce bias into the survey.
The 2005-2009 results are based on household surveys.
Do you know alcohol addicts among your friends/relatives? (closed-ended question, one answer % of total respondents) | ||
| 2017 | 2018 |
Yes | 41 | 37 |
No, I do not any alcoholic among my friends/relatives | 43 | 43 |
Maybe there is someone, but I do not know about that | 15 | 20 |
Refusal to answer | 1 | 0 |
What is your attitude towards alcoholics? (closed-ended question, one answer, %) | ||
| 2017 | 2018 |
It’s a private matter; I do not condemn anyone | 17 | 14 |
Alcoholism is a disease that needs to be treated medically | 45 | 46 |
Alcoholism is a social problem; it is the society itself that needs to be treated | 27 | 31 |
Alcoholics are dangerous; they should be separated from society | 7 | 6 |
Don’t know | 4 | 3 |
How would you assess the legislative measures taken in Russia to reduce alcohol consumption? (closed-ended question, one answer, %) | ||
| 2017 | 2018 |
Too strict | 9 | 8 |
Adequate | 35 | 32 |
Insufficient, too soft | 41 | 41 |
Don’t know | 15 | 19 |
What measures to combat alcohol addiction would you support? (closed-ended question, any number of answers, %) | |||||
| 2005 | 2006 | 2009 | 2017 | 2018 |
Ban on alcohol sales to persons under the age of 21 | 56 | 48 | 63 | 53 | 58 |
Promotion of healthy and sober lifestyles | 39 | 42 | 47 | 48 | 54 |
A total ban on alcohol advertising, including low-alcohol drinks* | 55 | 52 | 57 | 46 | 49 |
Recovery of sobering-up stations** | 0 | 0 | 0 | 38 | 44 |
Forced treatment of alcohol addiction | 27 | 22 | 29 | 32 | 38 |
Restriction on alcohol sales in the morning time | 25 | 19 | 31 | 30 | 37 |
Development of modern medical treatments of alcoholism including non-traditional methods | 19 | 20 | 25 | 30 | 37 |
Introduction of criminal punishment for drinking alcohol and being drunk in public | 39 | 38 | 34 | 28 | 33 |
Launch of alcoholics anonymous societies | 15 | 11 | 15 | 22 | 29 |
Price increase for alcohol production | 13 | 10 | 19 | 18 | 21 |
Introduction of a ban on alcohol production and sale (Dry law)*** | 0 | 6 | 10 | 13 | 12 |
Other measures | 2 | 1 | 4 | 11 | 5 |
No measures should be taken; government should not intervene | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Don’t know | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
* In 2005-2006, the wording of the answer option was “ban on alcohol advertising”
** In 2005-2009, this answer option was not proposed
*** In 2005, this answer option was not proposed
Note: Using materials from the site www.wciom.ru or wciom.com, as well as distributed by VCIOM, the reference to the source (or hyperlink for the electronic media) is obligatory!