MOSCOW, July 29, 2009. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the data describing how often Russians consume alcoholic beverages, how they assess the anti-alcohol campaign in the period of Perestroika (1985 -1991), and how the situation with alcohol consumption in Russia has changed compared with the Gorbachev`s era.
74% of Russians consume alcohol with different frequency (in 1996 - 77%). The proportion of those who consume alcohol more than several times per week has increased over 13 years (8% against 5%). This figure is the highest in small cities (44%) and among those respondents aged 18-24 (12%). Twenty-three percent of respondents consume two or three times per month, 18% - once per month, 25% - rarer than once per month (in 1996 - 29%). Every forth Russian do not consume alcoholic drinks at all (24%) - most of them are metropolitan residents and those residing in middle-sized cities (26% and 27% respectively), as well as respondents aged above 60 (47%).
There is a difference between men and women consuming alcoholic beverages in terms of frequency. Forty-five percent of men and 18% of women drink not rarer than several times per month. On the contrary, women report they consume alcohol rarer than once per month (31% against 18% among men). And finally, there are twice as many female alcohol-abstainers than male abstainers (31% against 16% respectively).
Compared with 2005, the share of Russians considering the need and effectiveness of the anti-alcohol campaign of the Perestroika era has decreased (from 15% to 8%). This point of view is almost shared by the Southerners (14%). As before, every third Russian think that the idea was good, but there were excesses and mistakes (33%) during the implementation; most of them are residents of North-Western (39%), Siberian (40%) and Far-Eastern Federal Districts (42%). Every tenth (11%) explain the failure in terms of pressure by the opponents - most of such respondents reside in the Urals and Far East of Russia (17% and 15% respectively). And finally, the proportion of those who think the anti-alcohol campaign of the Perestroika era was a mistake from the beginning has decreased over four years (from 37% to 32%) - they are basically residents of the North-Western Federal District (42%).
It is interesting to know, there are twice as many alcohol-abstainers considering anti-alcohol campaign effective than those who consume alcohol (12% against 6% respectively). The latter, on the contrary, tend to think the campaign was a mistake from the very beginning (35% against 27% alcohol-abstainers).
Despite the fact that Russians, as before, tend to drink more compared with the era of Gorbachev, now respondents report this rarer than they did four years ago (55% against 61% in 2005). Those who are confident about that are basically residents of the Far East of Russia (78%), women (59%), elderly citizens and Russian with low level of income (63% for each). Every third think that the situation has changed; most of them are residents of the Urals (46%), men (34%) and Russians with high level of income (36%). Those who think that Russians began to drink less are in the minority (7%). Those who have such opinion are respondents living in the Central District of Russia (11%), Southerners (12%) and men (9%).
Alcohol-abstainers think that now Russians drink more compared with the Perestroika period (62% against 53% of respondents, consuming alcoholic beverages). Those who consume alcoholic beverages often report that the situation has not changed (32%) or that Russians began to drink less (8%).
The initiative Russian opinion polls were conducted on July 18-19, 2009.
1600 respondents were interviewed at 140 sampling points in 42 regions of Russia.
The margin of error does not exceed 3.4%.
Do you consume alcoholic beverages? If yes, then how often? (close-ended question, one answer) | ||
| 1996 | 2009 |
Several times per week | 5 | 8 |
Two-or three times per month | 24 | 23 |
Approximately once per month | 19 | 18 |
Rarer than once per month | 29 | 25 |
Never | 23 | 24 |
Hard to tell | 0 | 2 |
Do you consume alcoholic beverages? If yes, then how often? (close-ended question, one answer) | |||
| Total respondents | Sex | |
Men | Women | ||
Several times per week | 8 | 13 | 3 |
Two-or three times per month | 23 | 32 | 15 |
Approximately once per month | 18 | 19 | 18 |
Rarer than once per month | 25 | 18 | 31 |
Never | 24 | 16 | 31 |
Hard to tell | 2 | 2 | 2 |
How would you assess the situation with alcohol now compared with the era of Gorbachev (1985-1991)? (close-ended question, one answer) | ||
| 2005 | 2009 |
Now people drink more | 61 | 55 |
The situation is almost the same | 33 | 30 |
Now people drink less | 4 | 7 |
Hard to tell | 3 | 8 |
There was an anti-alcohol campaign in the era of Perestroika in Russia. What is your current attitude regarding this campaign? (close-ended question, one answer) | ||
| 2005 | 2009 |
It was necessary; the campaign had lots of positive results | 15 | 8 |
It was a good idea, but there were some excesses and mistakes | 32 | 33 |
It was a good idea; but the campaign was hard to accomplish due to the pressure from the opponents | 11 | 11 |
It was a mistake from the beginning | 37 | 32 |
Hard to tell | 6 | 15 |
Note: Using materials from the site www.wciom.ru or www.wciom.com, as well as distributed by VCIOM,
the reference to the source (or hyperlink for the electronic media) is obligatory!