Alcohol sales ban for under-21s: public health measure or PR stunt?
Russia has returned to the topic of raising the age for the sale of alcoholic beverages
Alexander Bastrykin, the chairman of the Investigative Committee of Russia, proposed banning the sale of alcohol, including beer, to people under 21, thus resuming the discussion that began 10 years ago. Realnoe Vremya experts gave different assessments on this issue: from “it will never work like this” to “it's high time to adopt the relevant law.” Meanwhile, this is not the first time such an initiative has been voiced, and in the last century even a corresponding law was passed. But, as you know, they decided to abandon such restrictions. What discussions are going on around the topic at the moment, as well as the pros and cons of the idea, can be found in the material of Realnoe Vremya.
“It's pointless until the uncontrolled sale of alcohol on the Internet is brought to order”
Alexander Bastrykin, the chairman of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, proposed at a meeting of the expanded board of the department to ban the sale of any alcoholic beverages to young people under the age of 21.
“To prevent alcoholisation of young people, it is necessary to introduce a ban on the sale of alcohol-containing products, including low-alcohol and brewing, to persons under the age of 21," he said.
The proposal was supported by the head of the Federation Council Committee on Constitutional Legislation and State Building, Andrei Klishas, but with a caveat:
“This is correct, but it makes no sense until the uncontrolled sale of alcohol on the Internet is put in order," said the senator.
For the first time, a ban on the sale of alcohol to minors, that is, children under the age of 18, was introduced at the end of 1958. Almost 20 years ago, on November 22, 1995, Russian President Boris Yeltsin signed the law “On state regulation of the production and turnover of ethyl alcohol and alcoholic beverages," which is still in force.
The idea of raising the age limit for alcohol sales to 21 is not new — it was discussed 10 years ago. In 2015, two bills on this were submitted to the State Duma, but they were rejected in the summer of 2018. Another document appeared in March 2019 — it provided for a ban on the sale of alcohol stronger than 16.5% to people under the age of 21. However, this initiative was not continued either — the Ministry of Economic Development stated that it could contribute to the growth of the shadow market and an increase in cases of illegal sales.
Another proposal was to give the authorities of the subjects the right to impose such restrictions themselves. In July 2019, the bill was submitted to the State Duma by deputy Shamsail Saraliev, and a year later it was withdrawn.
The discussion on banning the sale of alcohol under the age of 21 resumed only in the autumn of 2024. Sultan Khamzayev became the author of the initiative. The ministry of healthcare clarified that such a project is already under elaboration:
“With regard to initiatives to ban the sale of alcoholic beverages to persons under the age of 21, we note that the Russian ministry of healthcare has developed a draft action plan to implement the concept of reducing alcohol consumption in Russia for the period up to 2030 and beyond," the letter says.
“The idea has been discussed a thousand times and rejected as many times”
Vadim Drobiz, the founder of the Centre for Research of Federal and Regional Alcohol Markets CIFRRA, reacted sharply negatively to Bastrykin's proposal. In his opinion, the idea simply won't hit its target.
Drobiz is sure that any restrictions do not make sense until the regulatory authorities can control the entire trading market. And in Russia, according to him, the share of “gray” sales is too high:
“For example, in Europe, shops are full of cheap alcohol — even homeless people can afford it. Translated into Russian reality, the cheapest bottle of wine can be bought for 20 rubles. And therefore, in the West, the share of illegal alcohol is only 7-8% — there is no point in buying. Why, if you can buy a high-quality, safe, legal product?”
He also said that the peak of alcohol consumption falls just under the age of 18, and then there is a sharp decline, “because the product has ceased to be prohibited”.
“Such restrictions do not work, so such proposals are nothing more than a means of PR. The idea has been discussed a thousand times and rejected as many times. It's just a formality, it's not necessary. Education and social culture are needed here," Drobiz said.
“Alcohol addiction begins at the age of 17”
Another interlocutor of Realnoe Vremya, Robert Klimovsky, the director of Lotos Medical Centre for Narcology, expressed an absolutely opposite opinion. He fully supports the proposal of the chairman of the Investigative Committee:
“Finally, the government has paid attention to the problem of early alcohol addiction. Now it begins at the age of 17. Deviant behaviour and dependence appear. This ban has already been introduced in many countries. And I've always wondered: why don't we have it?”
The problem is also that teenagers do not differentiate the quality of alcohol — poisoning is common.
“Their psycho-emotional and volitional core is not fully formed. By the age of 21, of course, he is much more formed. By this age, the body works completely differently. Still, three years is a big difference for young people," the doctor added.
Klimovsky said that there are not many teenagers among his patients, but still cases have become more frequent. Often, young people apply when they already have problems with their studies and socialisation.
“As for the gray market, it seems to me that 50% of young people will not go further if they have not sold in one store. Russians are quite law-abiding in this regard: no means no. Therefore, the less alcohol is available, the better the health of young people," the doctor expressed confidence.”
