Gorbachev's anti-alcohol company: a year. Thoughts on the anti-alcohol campaign under Gorbachev

People who lived in the late 80s at a conscious age remember very well what Prohibition was like in the USSR 1985-1991. This period is also called “Gorbachev’s Prohibition Law.” This term implied a complete (and in some cases partial) ban on the sale of alcohol-containing products.

The exception was the production of alcohol for the industrial and medical needs of the country. For the world community, such a campaign was not something new. But it was she who was remembered by the citizens of the USSR because of its duration. Was such a taboo effective? And was the “game worth the candle”?

Gorbachev's Prohibition Law became the most memorable among a series of similar experiments

There is one wise folk proverb that advises “learning from the mistakes of others.” Unfortunately, it is rare that one understands the meaning of these words, much less corresponds to them. Despite the fact that almost all the laws of economics went through the thorny path of trial and error, the leaders of our country at that time decided not to study the sad experience of other countries.

Prohibition is a measure that is not able to eliminate all the causes of harmful alcohol addiction. The only thing that such measures can do is eliminate the availability of alcoholic beverages.

According to the country's former leaders, such measures should gradually lead to absolute sobriety of all citizens. Few people know that Gorbachev was not the first secretary general to introduce prohibition in the USSR. Citizens with anti-alcohol campaigns Soviet Union encountered previously in:

• 1913;
• 1918-1923;
• 1929;
• 1958;
• 1972.

The first attempts to combat widespread drunkenness were made by Nicholas II. At that distant time, against the backdrop of hostilities (World War I), crime due to intoxication increased sharply. This step also contributed to saving food costs.

The founder of the Prohibition Law of 1913-1914 was Chelyshov M.D.

And then came the revolution. The Bolsheviks, keen on building a new state, were in no hurry to “enrich” the shelves of shops and retail stores with alcohol. There was no time for that. Only at the beginning of 1923 were people again able to buy alcohol at an affordable price.

Stalin, who then came to power, was far from a stupid man and a talented politician. The communist slogan that now everything “belongs to the common people” in fact helped the exhausted country to replenish the budget, setting any prices even for low-quality, low-grade alcohol.

Who introduced and who repealed prohibition laws in Russia

But why is it only the fight against drunkenness carried out under the regime of the last leader of the Land of Soviets that is so vividly etched in the memory? In those sad years, life in the USSR took place under the auspices of a widespread shortage of goods. The introduced ban on alcohol only aggravated the already not rosy psychological state of our citizens. However, such an event had a number of compelling reasons.

Prerequisites for organizing Prohibition

Alcohol at that time was perhaps the only opportunity to forget and relax for the population of the USSR. One of the main roles was played by the fact of lack of motivation to adhere to a sober lifestyle. Salaries were the same for everyone, regardless of the quality of work, and there were no penalties for drinking alcohol.

The statistics of that time are striking in terrible numbers: in the period 1960-1980, mortality from alcohol abuse quadrupled.

For each citizen of the USSR in 1984 there were 25-30 liters pure alcohol(even including babies). While in the country of the pre-revolutionary period this figure was 3-4 liters.

How did the “dry period” begin?

They planned to introduce the next prohibition law in Russia back in the early 80s. But the anti-alcohol campaign was postponed due to a series of ascensions to the throne and sudden deaths of the leaders of the Land of Soviets. The main initiators of the taboo were the following members of the Politburo of the Central Committee:

1. Solomentsev Mikhail Sergeevich.
2. Ligachev Egor Kuzmich.

They, like Andropov, were deeply convinced that the causes of economic stagnation were the growing mass alcoholism of the people. It was in drunkenness that the leaders of the highest echelon of power saw a general decline in moral values ​​and negligence at work.

Propaganda of a sober lifestyle in the USSR has acquired enormous proportions

Gorbachev's Prohibition Law had truly gigantic proportions. In order to combat general public drunkenness, the state even sharply reduced its own income from the sale of alcoholic beverages.

The essence of the anti-alcohol campaign

Gorbachev, a promising and promising politician, knew very well about existing problem and supported a large-scale ban on the sale of alcohol throughout the USSR. The famous anti-alcohol campaign began on May 17, 1985. The new project had the following program:

1. It was prohibited to sell alcohol to persons under 21 years of age.
2. Wine advertising was also prohibited vodka products and the drinking process itself. This affected television, radio, theater and cinema.
3. A complete ban on the sale of vodka products in all enterprises catering, with the exception of restaurants.
4. Preventing the sale of alcohol near educational institutions of all types, hospitals, health resorts, industrial facilities and recreational areas.
5. The time for selling alcohol was also limited. Alcohol could now only be purchased from two o'clock in the afternoon to seven in the evening.
6. Alcoholic products were allowed to be sold only in strictly specialized departments/places. The number of such points was regulated by local officials.

The government planned to gradually reduce the production of alcoholic beverages, and by 1988 to completely stop the production of wines. Leading members of the Communist Party and heads of enterprises were strictly forbidden to drink alcohol until they were expelled from the Communist Party.

What have we achieved with this law?

Gorbachev's large-scale anti-alcohol campaign had a number of positive and negative aspects. According to statistical data collected by 1988, the result of Prohibition was the following results.

Negative points

Across all expanses of the vast country, more than 2/3 of the shops selling alcohol ceased to exist almost instantly and unexpectedly for citizens. Alcohol could now be purchased between 2 and 7 p.m. The most famous vineyards of Moldova, the Caucasus and Crimea were destroyed.

What opponents of Prohibition say

One of the main and sad losses from Prohibition was the irretrievable loss of unique grape wine varieties, oblivion of ancient traditions of producing exclusive collection wines.

But there will always be enterprising citizens who want to make extra money from the emerging shortage. Cunning “businessmen” instantly formed during times of alcohol shortage. Such businessmen at that time were known as “speculators, hucksters.”

But, due to the existing Iron Curtain, the borders of the USSR were tightly closed, so the underground trade in alcohol was not as widespread as during a similar campaign in the USA. At that time, vodka even became a bargaining chip; people willingly agreed to earn extra money and play tricks for it.

In some regions, vodka began to be sold using coupons

Moonshine production grew powerfully, and at the same time a new class of alcoholics arose - people suffering from substance abuse. Having lost their usual dose of alcohol, the population dependent on it switched to another high. Mostly they sniffed various chemical reagents.

According to confirmed medical data, people suffering from substance abuse degrade much faster than alcoholics.

Due to the growing moonshine industry, sugar coupons were introduced. But people quickly switched to pharmacy tinctures, antifreezes, perfumes and colognes. Meanwhile, the ruling elite, fiercely fighting against alcohol consumption, were not limited in this and willingly consumed alcohol themselves - these were foreign-made alcoholic drinks.

At that time they fought against drunkenness mercilessly and passionately. Brochures and leaflets about the dangers of alcohol were distributed in large quantities, and scenes of alcohol consumption were cut out of films. And the people slowly degenerated.

Positive aspects

However, it is worth recognizing that there were much more positive aspects in such an event. What did Gorbachev’s Prohibition Law give to the people?

1. There was a sharp jump in the birth rate.
2. The number of patients in psychiatric hospitals has decreased.
3. Reducing the number of crimes committed due to alcohol abuse.
4. Mortality from alcohol consumption and poisoning has dropped to almost zero.
5. For the first time in the history of the Soviet Union, there was a sharp decrease in the mortality rate.
6. Indicators of labor discipline have increased. Absenteeism and technical downtime decreased by 38-45%.
7. The average life expectancy of men has increased. During Prohibition, it was 65-70 years.
8. Statistics on incidents have also decreased. The number of industrial accidents and car accidents decreased by 30%.
9. The financial income of the people has increased. At that time, savings banks noted a sharp increase in cash deposits from the population. Citizens brought in 40 million rubles more for storage than in the previous period.

Pros and cons in comparative characteristics

Alternative opinion of opponents of Prohibition

At Gorbachevskaya anti-alcohol campaign there were many opponents. After conducting full-scale research, experts presented a lot of arguments that cast doubt on all the positive aspects of Prohibition. They sound like this:

Statistics do not reflect reality. Gorbachev created an artificial shortage of basic products and alcohol in the country. The people managed to make up for it with moonshine, which was then brewed in almost every third family. Therefore, the data presented in the statistics is not reliable.

The increase in the birth rate was not actually associated with Prohibition. In fact, the increase in the number of women giving birth was led by faith in the near future, in the new life that perestroika promised. People at that time simply had a good emotional upsurge and confidence that life was about to improve.

Anecdotes of the USSR during Gorbachev's Prohibition Law

Statistics do not provide all the numbers. Speaking about the decrease in alcoholics, the statistics did not say anything about the sharp increase in the number of substance abusers. Many people have smoothly moved from scarce alcohol to more affordable and much more dangerous drugs.

The same can be said about the emphasis on reducing mortality from cardiovascular problems. This indicator has indeed decreased, but another indicator has increased – death from the use of toxic substances and drugs.

Most opponents of the anti-alcohol campaign said that Gorbachev weaned people not from drunkenness, but from drinking good and high-quality alcohol, turning the country into surrogate and substance abuse.

Reasons for ending the anti-alcohol campaign

The main culprit for the termination of Gorbachev's measures is the economy. Insidious science dealt a crushing blow to the country's budget. After all, the alcohol industry brought substantial profits to the treasury, generously filling it. No alcohol - no money for the budget.

At that time, the USSR was already firmly “sitting” on import substitution; due to the steady decline in the price of oil, the state’s gold reserves literally evaporated before our eyes. Therefore, in 1988-1989, opponents of the anti-alcohol campaign led by Nikolai Ivanovich Ryzhkov were able to put pressure on Gorbachev, and soon the country was again filled with alcoholic beverages.

In May 1985, a new massive anti-alcohol campaign began in the Soviet Union. To eradicate drunkenness, all means were used: from promoting a healthy lifestyle to cutting down vineyards. However, the results were very contradictory, the population was dissatisfied, and the campaign soon had to be curtailed. The author of the site, Nikolai Bolshakov, recalls how this campaign took place.

New campaign

Anti-alcohol campaigns were carried out more than once in the Soviet Union. 1918, 1929, 1958, 1972 - all these years were marked by a massive fight against drunkenness. But the most famous campaign was initiated by Mikhail Gorbachev. Having come to power, the Secretary General understood that alcohol consumption had become widespread. On average, ten liters of alcohol was consumed per capita per year, and this had to be dealt with somehow. This was well understood not only by the newly appointed head of the USSR, but also by Yegor Ligachev and Mikhail Solomentsev, who became the ideological inspirers of this campaign. Gorbachev shared his upcoming plans with citizens when he visited Leningrad during his first trip as Secretary General in May 1985. And on May 7, decree No. 410 “On measures to overcome drunkenness and alcoholism and eradicate moonshine” was officially issued from the Council of Ministers. It was with this resolution that the anti-alcohol campaign in the USSR began.

Mikhail Gorbachev with Yegor Ligachev, one of the instigators of the campaign

Offensive on all fronts

The campaign immediately had its own slogan: “Sobriety is the norm.” And the loudest mouthpiece of this large-scale movement was the newspaper Pravda. “The consumption of alcoholic beverages at work or in public places should be considered completely unacceptable, such cases should be regarded as immoral, antisocial behavior, using the full force of the law and public opinion against drunkards,” wrote the editorial of this publication.

Now scenes of feasting were carefully cut out of films and non-alcoholic weddings were welcomed. Alcohol itself could only be obtained at strictly certain times, which was from two to seven o’clock in the afternoon, and strictly in special stores. Fines for appearing in drunk, it was forbidden to drink during production. And sobriety and healthy lifestyle societies were organized throughout the country. In general, it was planned to gradually reduce vodka production by ten percent every year, and wine products cease production altogether by 1989. Therefore, the anti-alcohol war caused great damage to the wine industry.

Queues at liquor stores broke all records

Anti-alcohol campaign hits wine industry hard

In Moldova and in Abrau-Durso, where wine is a traditional commodity, and in many other places, vineyards were cut down en masse. According to official data, 80 thousand hectares of grape plots were destroyed in the Moldavian SSR alone.

Conflicting results

The most active phase of the campaign occurred from 1985 to 1987. It will be announced that such actions have prevented more than a million deaths. In fact, the production of alcoholic beverages was halved, and the output of wine products was cut by two-thirds. But all these actions to combat drunkenness had a negative impact on the population. First of all, speculation increased sharply, the demand for sugar and other goods, including toothpaste, cologne, and other alcohol-containing products, increased many times over. Every tenth trade worker was accused of profiteering, and more than 60 thousand people were held accountable for violating the sale of alcohol.

There were fights and long queues everywhere near stores. Many people switched to moonshine. There are also many drug addicts and substance abusers among both adults and youth. According to the USSR Ministry of Internal Affairs, the use of moonshine and other intoxicating substances led to the poisoning of more than forty thousand people, of whom eleven thousand died. The number of drug addicts doubled from 1985 to 1987.

During one of the anti-alcohol rallies

The campaign was declared to have saved the lives of a million people

The campaign hit not only the population, but also the Soviet budget, which was already suffering from a deficit at that time. In total, the state treasury lost 19 billion rubles from the trade sector. And due to losses in wine production, another 6.8 billion were missing. Discontent throughout the country eventually forced Mikhail Gorbachev to slow down the anti-alcohol campaign. The state monopoly on the trade in alcoholic beverages was soon abolished, and the fight against drunkenness gradually went nowhere. Ivan Laptev, chairman of the All-Union Society for the Struggle for a Sober Lifestyle, will later write: “They didn’t drink less in Rus', the drinking culture did not improve, the green serpent, having rested in basements and cellars, remained best friend Soviet man."

Mikhail Gorbachev was dubbed “Lemonade Joe” due to his fight against drunkenness

Mikhail Gorbachev himself will be popularly called “mineral secretary” and “lemonade Joe.” However, the campaign was highly appreciated by the international community. “It delayed the deaths of millions of people who were at risk of losing their lives as a result of accidents, alcohol poisoning or suicide,” said one UN report.

One of the most large-scale events of the perestroika period was the anti-alcohol campaign. The famous slogan “Sobriety is the norm of life” most fully characterizes the meaning of this policy.

Trying with all its might to eradicate the most pressing problem of the population, the USSR government preferred harsh methods. First, prices for alcoholic beverages increased sharply, and then alcoholic beverages gradually began to disappear from shelves altogether. If a buyer wanted to purchase a bottle of vodka, he was required to present a special coupon. Such measures, however, did not help reduce the level of alcoholism in the USSR, but, on the contrary, only forced residents to look for cunning ways to circumvent the existing ban.

It is worth noting that this is not the first attempt to introduce prohibition into Russia. The ban on the production of alcohol was imposed by the Bolsheviks in 1917, but already in 1923 a decree was issued to resume production alcoholic products. Also known is the campaign of 1929, during which, in accordance with the decision of the Soviet government, many drinking establishments were closed. As a result, the volume of goods produced has significantly decreased. breweries in the capital and other large cities.

Subsequently, the USSR government only tightened its policy. The 1929 campaign was followed by others - a ban on the sale of alcohol was introduced in both 1958 and 1972.

However, the best known is the 1985-1990 campaign, carried out during the reign of Mikhail Gorbachev, who at that time held the post of General Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee.

The origins of the anti-alcohol campaign

Concern about the fact that the high level of alcoholism among the population is causing damage to the country's economy was expressed by his predecessor as Secretary General, Yuri Andropov. In the early 80s, residents of the USSR began to consume much more alcoholic beverages than ever before. On average, 10.5 liters per year. Neither during Tsarist Russia nor during the Stalin era did the amount of alcohol consumed by one person per year exceed 5 liters. Now, every citizen of the Soviet Union receives about 90 bottles of vodka per year, and taking into account moonshine, wines, beer and other intoxicating drinks - more than 110.

Yuri Andropov

Remembering Andropov’s words about the sharp decline in the level of the national economy, members of the Politburo of the CPSU Central Committee Mikhail Solomentsev and Yegor Ligachev decided to take up the development of measures that would help the government in the fight against mass alcoholism.

From left to right: Egor Ligachev, Mikhail Gorbachev

Soon the first steps were taken to implement the anti-alcohol campaign. Thus, already on May 7, 1985, two important resolutions were adopted: “On measures to overcome drunkenness and alcoholism” and “On measures to overcome drunkenness and alcoholism, to eradicate moonshine,” which determined the direction of anti-alcohol policy. The volume of alcoholic beverages produced was significantly reduced, and places that sold alcohol were now difficult to find.

On May 16, 1985, the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR issued a Decree “On strengthening the fight against drunkenness and alcoholism, eradicating moonshine,” according to which administrative and criminal measures were applied to citizens who violated the Prohibition Law. This Decree was valid throughout the entire territory of the USSR. Making moonshine

The main source of income for the USSR was the sale alcoholic drinks. Serious damage was caused not only to producers, but also to commercial enterprises. Closed with the introduction of Prohibition large number shops. The time for the sale of alcohol was limited - from 14:00 to 19:00. In addition, prices for liquor products continued to rise: in 1986, the minimum price for a bottle of vodka was about 9 rubles. (provided that the average resident of the USSR earned 196 rubles per month).

Law enforcement agencies strictly monitored the consumption of alcohol in public places - for drinking alcohol on the street, in parks and squares, a violator could be fired from work.

However, with the reduction in the production of alcoholic products, few people gave up drinking alcohol. Home-made moonshine has replaced store-bought drinks.

The industry that suffered the most due to anti-alcohol measures was winemaking. Instead of producing wine, the government planned to invest in growing table berries. However, the owners of the vineyards did not receive any material support from the state - they did not even allocate money for tree care.

The most radical measure, perhaps, was the massive cutting down of vineyards. Vine plantings throughout the entire Soviet Union were subjected to merciless destruction. Thus, about 80 thousand hectares of vineyards were cut down in Moldova, 60 in Ukraine. There is also a widespread belief that they were forced to uproot grape trees. For example, the former chief engineer of the then popular Cricova winery in Moldova, Valentin Bodiul, admitted in one of his interviews that workers were forced to cut down trees with an ax on weekends, and if they resisted the order, grape defenders were threatened with prison terms .

In Russia itself, for the entire period of the anti-alcohol company out of 200 thousand hectares of grape trees, 32 thousand were destroyed. There were no plans to restore the damaged vineyards. As for the berry harvest, they were collected significantly less (compared to the period 1981-1985) - 430 thousand tons instead of the previous 850 thousand.

On March 11, 1985, Mikhail Gorbachev took the post of General Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee and became the last head of what was then a large and powerful power. He began his activities with a global restructuring of the system, one of the first stages of which was the anti-alcohol campaign.

The purpose of Gorbachev's anti-alcohol campaign

Gorbachev immediately set a course for actively accelerating the socio-economic development of the state and began to implement the anti-alcohol program, which they began to jointly prepare in the Central Committee under Brezhnev. However, Leonid Ilyich himself did not consider it a priority and did not support it.

It must be admitted that Gorbachev had the best intentions. In an interview, he said that the situation with mass drunkenness had reached a critical point by that time. Almost half of the adult male population has crossed the line of alcoholism, and women have also become addicted to the drink. Drunkenness at work, a large number of road accidents, children abandoned by alcoholic parents to the mercy of fate - all these problems required an immediate solution. And then Mikhail Sergeevich decided to deal with the situation radically, as they say, he cut from the shoulder.

Global plans and their implementation

On May 16, 1985, the Presidium under the leadership of Gorbachev issued a decree “On strengthening the fight against drunkenness.” The global anti-alcohol campaign has begun to gain momentum.

The main ways of implementation, tangible for the population:

● increase in alcohol prices by 2 or more times;
● a widespread decrease in the number of alcoholic beverages retail outlets;
● limitation of sales time (exclusively from 14.00 to 19.00);
● tougher penalties for drinking alcohol in public places (including city parks, railway trains).

The campaign was launched on a grand scale. A healthy lifestyle, alcohol-free weddings, anniversaries and other festive events were promoted everywhere. Non-alcoholic champagne appeared on sale, which was offered to replace the real thing. But the excesses did not end there either; this was just the harmless tip of the “non-alcoholic” iceberg.

Consequences of the anti-alcohol campaign of 1985-1990

According to the decree of the Central Committee, the people were not ready to give up their addiction and stop drinking. Simultaneously with the start of Gorbachev's alcohol-free campaign, the development of Soviet era moonshine, underground trade in alcohol and speculation in alcoholic beverages. Enterprising citizens and taxi drivers sold moonshine and vodka under the counter. The main “raw material” for home brewing, sugar, disappeared from the stores, which soon began to be sold using coupons, and long lines lined up at the liquor departments.

Consumption of questionable alcohol surrogate led to massive outbreaks of poisoning. Drank technical alcohol, cologne, denatured alcohol and other dangerous substances containing degrees. Drug dealers tried to partially fill the “vacuum niche” - that’s when the growth of drug addiction began, which became a global problem.

But the greatest damage was caused to the vineyards. According to available data, about 30% were destroyed - this is a third more than the losses during the Second World War. In Moldova, Crimea, Kuban, and the North Caucasus, some unique collection grape varieties were completely exterminated, and breeding work was prohibited. The persecution of talented breeders who devoted their entire lives to this began.

Anti-alcohol shock therapy also caused serious damage to the country’s economy, which was not in the best position from the very beginning of perestroika.

Positive results or embellished facts?

After the start of the anti-alcohol campaign, local people happily reported an increase in the birth rate, a decrease in crime and an increase in life expectancy. However, in reality it didn’t look quite like that. It was in those years that the real rampant crime began, so it would be more correct to call the data on a reduction in crime wishful thinking. And historians and political scientists are more inclined to associate the increase in the birth rate and increase in life expectancy with the fact that people were promised a beautiful life and they believed the slogans and perked up.

Let's sum it up

The anti-alcohol campaign in no country in the world has produced the expected results. It is necessary to combat drunkenness not with prohibitions, but with raising the standard of living.

Gorbachev's anti-alcohol campaign is often called “prohibition.” This term implies a ban (full or partial) on the sale of substances containing ethanol in large quantities. The exception is substances for medical, industrial and other similar purposes. Also, drugs with low alcohol content, such as cough syrups, are not subject to the ban.

In the USSR, the 1985 campaign was not the first, but it was remembered by everyone due to its duration. How effective the government's actions were can be found in the article.

Anti-alcohol campaigns in the USSR

In the history of the USSR, “prohibition” was established several times. It was accepted in different years:

• 1918-1923;
• 1929;
• 1958;
• 1972;
• 1985-1990.

Why did Gorbachev's anti-alcohol campaign become a symbol of the stagnation of his era? First of all, this is due to significant widespread consumption, including food. The ban on alcohol further worsened the psychological state of people. However, such a decision on the part of the government was required by the circumstances that had developed by that time.

Background to the 1985 campaign

Before the start of the campaign, studies were carried out that revealed catastrophic figures for the country. By 1984, alcohol consumption exceeded 10 liters per person, whereas even in pre-revolutionary Russia this figure did not exceed 5 liters. Translated into containers, this amounted to 90-100 bottles of alcohol for each adult man per year. Alcohol meant vodka, beer, wine, moonshine.

The initiators of the implementation of the “prohibition law” were M.S. Solomentsev, E.K. Ligachev. They were, as they were, convinced that the cause of economic stagnation was mass alcoholism. It was in him that the members of the Politburo saw a general decline in morals and as well as people’s negligent attitude towards work.

Gorbachev's anti-alcohol campaign was enormous. To combat drunkenness, the state decided to reduce its sales revenues

What did the 1985 law provide for?

The law came into force on May 17, 1985. Popularly, Gorbachev’s anti-alcohol campaign, as mentioned earlier, was called “prohibition.”

This project included the following implementation program:

1. A ban on the sale of vodka in all public catering establishments (with the exception of restaurants) located at train stations, station stations, and airports. It was also stipulated that it was inadmissible to sell vodka near industrial enterprises, all types of educational institutions, hospitals, and places of public recreation.
2. Liquor products were to be sold only in specialized stores or departments. At the same time, officials determined their number themselves, locally.
3. Prohibition of the sale of alcohol to persons under 21 years of age.
4. The permitted implementation was limited in time. Alcohol could be purchased from 2 to 7 p.m.
5. It was planned to annually reduce the volume of alcoholic beverages production. By 1988, it was planned to completely stop wine production.
6. It was forbidden to promote drinking in the theater, cinema, television, and radio broadcasting.
7. Senior officials and party members were prohibited from abusing alcohol under threat of expulsion from the CPSU.

Statistics

Its positive and negative aspects Gorbachev's anti-alcohol campaign had. The year it began was 1985, and by 1988 the following was assembled

Opponents of the campaign and their arguments

Representatives of one of the research centers present their own arguments that cast doubt on the positive thoughts about the anti-alcohol company. Under Gorbachev, an artificial deficit was created. The people made up for it completely with alcohol homemade. Therefore, the statistics did not reflect real indicators.

As for the increase in the birth rate, this is more associated with a general emotional upsurge against the background of perestroika, which promised the population for the better.

Drug addiction and substance abuse became a serious problem during these years. Some people have switched from scarce alcohol to more dangerous drugs. Mortality from cardiovascular diseases indeed decreased, but the number of deaths from drug use increased.

Among the opponents there are many who believe that the actions of the “prohibition law” did not save the country from drunkenness, but weaned it off the use of good, high-quality drinks.

Prohibition supporters

The reader already knows in what year Gorbachev carried out the anti-alcohol campaign. It was since the introduction of Prohibition that many doctors began to note a decrease in the number of injuries and fractures, which most often happened to people who were drunk.

Even before the adoption of the law, societies to combat drunkenness were created. The people who organized them really promoted their ideas. They did this voluntarily, understanding the danger of total drunkenness for the country. The ambiguous position among members of the Politburo slowed down the campaign; actions were taken that embittered people and caused negativity towards the campaign as a whole.

The myth about cutting down vineyards

After a while, Mikhail Gorbachev admitted his mistakes. Regarding the anti-alcohol campaign and the main aspects of its implementation, not everything was smooth, but many points remained only speculation of the people. The real “duck” was the information about the total cutting down of vineyards. People close to these issues claim that it was indeed produced, but only old and wild vines were disposed of.

In many ways, the reputation of the anti-alcohol campaign was also spoiled by officials who took unpopular measures on the ground. For example, in many cities a large number of liquor outlets were closed at once. In addition to everything, coupons for vodka were invented and permission was introduced for the sale of only one bottle per person. Gorbachev did not sign documents providing for the adoption of such measures.

Winding down a campaign

Mass discontent with the “prohibition law” began two years after its introduction. Although all decrees were repealed only in 1990, already in 1987, sales of alcohol began to increase, and active promotion of a sober lifestyle ceased.

In modern Russia, Gorbachev admitted mistakes in the anti-alcohol campaign. He once said that because of mistakes made, a good deed ended ingloriously.

Such government actions should have been carried out in stages. For their successful completion, a new generation with ideas had to grow up. Too fast and aggressive actions of the authorities both from above and locally led to a negative attitude towards the campaign as a whole, aroused a feeling of disgust among the people and, as a result, did not lead to positive results.