Russia’s health minister wants to raise legal drinking age to 21

Russia’s health minister has said the country’s legal drinking age should be raised to 21, claiming there had been a spike in alcohol-related deaths during lockdown.

Mikhail Murashko said the legal drinking age should be raised to curb problem drinking (Photo: Wiki)

Mikhail Murashko said on Wednesday that “Unfortunately, the role of alcohol has begun to rise in the death count during this period.”

Murashko, who became Russia’s health minister on 31 January, said lawmakers could, and should, immediately raise Russia’s legal drinking age from 18 to 21, adding: “This could be done already today.”

Since February, Russia has taken multiple steps to tackle Covid-19. Russia declared a “national holiday” in late March, which has closed all but essential businesses and barred people from leaving their homes except in special circumstances.

Alcohol consumption in Russia had fallen by 43% since 2003, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), but problem drinking has resurfaced as people were forced to stay in their homes.

Although Murashko did not provide official figures on a rise in alcohol consumption, there is some evidence that Russians are buying more alcohol during lockdown.

Sales of vodka in Russia shot up 65% in the last week of March when the lockdown was announced, compared with a month earlier, according to the market research firm GfK.

It is not the first time Russian politicians have suggested raising the age limit. Under Vladimir Putin, the government has implemented a number of anti-alcohol policies, including a ban on shops selling any alcohol after 11pm, increases in the minimum retail price of spirits and an advertising blackout.

In a TV address, Russian president Vladimir Putin said citizens can go back to work from Tuesday, bringing an end to the country’s six week lockdown.

Putin added the return was “conditional”, and local governments would be left decide how and when they lift restrictions.

“We have a long and difficult process ahead,” he said.

Russia has so far confirmed more than 252,000 cases of coronavirus.