The Telegraph - The beverage is technically classified as a foodstuff for now, an anomaly that has allowed producers to avoid a sweeping new crackdown on alcohol advertising and night-time sales.
But a new Kremlin-backed bill that passed its first reading in the lower house of the Russian parliament on Tuesday will abolish beer's special status, dragging Russian alcohol regulation into the 21st century.
"Normalising the beer production market and classifying it as alcohol is totally the right thing to do and will boost the health of our population,"Yevgeny Byrun the ministry of health's chief specialist on alcohol and drug abuse, said.
"We have been talking about and have wanted such a measure for ages. I take my hat off to the parliament."
The new law would restrict beer sales at night, ban its sale in or close to many public places such as schools, and limit cans and bottles to a maximum size of 0.33 litres.
I always knew that the Russians were known for being heavy drinkers but this is a little ridiculous. Classifying beer as a foodstuff seems like its implying that its a vital and essential part of a persons diet. I also find it amusing that all these health specialist and government officials believe by that classifying it as alcohol, people are going to look at it differently and suddenly make better health choices. I'm going to guess that at least half of the people in Russia who drink beer know that there is alcohol in it. Lets say that Charlie Sheen knocks up Lindsay Lohan and then she gives birth to a country and the god mother is Amy Winehouse, the country would be named Russia. Beer is like the Russians Red Bull, they literally look at it as a soft drink in comparison to the amount of Vodka that is consumed. But the parliament is cracking down, so look for Egypt type protests across Russia coming soon.
Пейте России. (Drink Up Russia)
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