Russian Rule A: No Plan B

World War II is over, the USSR has disbanded, but the Russian love affair with vodka continues. Medvedev plans to change that.

Legend has it that Stalin once said no matter what falls short, the Red Army should not fall short of vodka. The war is over, the USSR has disbanded, but the Russian love affair with vodka continues. They consume 4.75 gallons of pure alcohol per person annually, more than double the level the World Health Organization considers a health threat, and roughly 500,000 of them die annually from causes directly related or aggravated by alcohol.

President Medvedev is planning to change that, seeking steeper penalties on the sale of alcohol to minors and more control over the vodka market. Unfortunately, that’s easier said than done. Russia’s most notable campaign against the bottle was launched by Gorbachev who ordered shelves emptied of vodka and vineyards razed. It increased life expectancy, but kicked off a public backlash so severe it even affected the standing of the Communist Party. Closer home too, it is said the Chautala government in Haryana was booted out for passing a dry law. How’s that for drunks with a vengeance?

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