Most of Russians support an initiative to increase the age limit from 18 to 21 for buying alcohol.
MOSCOW, November 27, 2018. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) in cooperation with the “Sober Russia” project present the data describing how Russians view the idea to increase the age limit for those who buy alcohol in Russia.
Most of Russians still perceive positively the idea to increase the age limit from 18 to 21 for buying alcoholic beverages. Seventy-eight percent of Russians are in favor of the initiative (vs 76% in 2013). Twenty-one percent of respondents are likely to disapprove of the idea.
Every second respondent (54%) can personally prove that work capacities and work productivity decrease because of alcohol consumption. A further 46% witnessed alcohol-related diseases and fatal case due to heavy drinking. Forty-four percent mention family conflicts and divorces caused by alcoholism but most of them just heard of that from friends (51%).
Job and housing loss because of drinking is mentioned by 42% of respondents. More than one-third (39%) witnessed domestic violence in a drunken state. Thirty-eight percent came across traffic accidents caused by drunk drivers but most of respondents only stumbled upon the similar news stories in the media (57%). Every third Russian (33%) has witnessed misdemeanor offences in a drunken state; in addition, more than half of Russians (56%) saw the news stories of that kind in the media.
Over one quarter of Russians (29%) are acquainted with children deprived of parental care because of alcoholism; 27% witnessed alcohol-related family violence. Every fifth (22%) know families where children have birth defects because of parents’ excessive alcohol use; in addition, 49% came across those situations in the media and 30% heard about that from friends. Twenty percent of respondents witnessed industrial accidents because of drunken workers; at the same time, 30% have never heard of that.
The initiative nationwide VCIOM-Sputnik survey was conducted on November 23, 2018, for the “Sober Russia» project. 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.
Some countries allow alcohol sale to persons aged 18 and over. Other countries set the age limit at 21. In Russia buying alcohol is allowed for persons aged 18 and over. What is your attitude towards the idea to increase the age limit to 21? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents) |
| |||
| 2013 | 2014 | 2018 | |
Supportive | 76 | 79 | 78 | |
Non supportive | 20 | 19 | 21 | |
Don’t know | 4 | 2 | 1 | |
Which alcohol-related situations have you come across over the recent years (you might have heard something in the media, from friends or witnessed something)? Please tell us if you have come across the following situations? If yes, what was the source? (closed-ended question, up to 3 answers per each line, % of total respondents) | |||||
| I heard such cases | I came across that in the media | I heard it from friends | I noticed such cases personally | Don’t know |
Traffic accidents caused by drunk drivers | 3 | 57 | 45 | 38 | 0 |
Industrial accidents caused by drunk workers, employees | 30 | 35 | 34 | 20 | 1 |
Decrease in work productivity, absence caused by alcoholism | 14 | 30 | 38 | 54 | 1 |
Crime rate increase, law violation in a state of intoxication (fighting, murders, et cet.) | 7 | 56 | 42 | 33 | 1 |
Social orphans – children deprived of parental care because of alcoholism | 12 | 52 | 36 | 29 | 1 |
Family conflicts, divorces because of alcoholism | 10 | 35 | 51 | 44 | 0 |
Birth defects because of drinking parents | 19 | 49 | 30 | 22 | 1 |
Cruel treatment, family violence because of alcoholism | 11 | 50 | 42 | 27 | 1 |
Social maladaptation –job and housing loss, living on the street because of drinking | 13 | 41 | 39 | 42 | 1 |
Death caused by drinking – fires, floods, suicides, et cet. | 10 | 53 | 39 | 27 | 0 |
Poor-quality alcohol poisoning | 9 | 54 | 37 | 28 | 1 |
Diseases, death rate due to heavy drinking (cirrhosis of liver, cancer, etc.) | 9 | 37 | 46 | 46 | 1 |
Home accident in a drunken state | 13 | 38 | 40 | 39 | 1 |
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!