Health Security
Putin
calls for vodka price freeze
The state-mandated
minimum price of vodka has risen 30 percent since 2013.
Russian President
Vladimir Putin at the 2014 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation CEO Summit in
Beijing Nov. 10, 2014. File Photo by Luo Xiaoguang/UPI/Pool
| License Photo
MOSCOW, Dec. 25 (UPI) -- Russian
President Vladimir Putin called for a price cap on vodka to avoid boosting the
market for potentially dangerous bootleg alcohol.
Putin said at a Tuesday meeting with government
officials and regional governors a freeze on vodka prices would help avoid a
spike in the popularity of illegal spirits that could carry greater health
risks than regulated vodka.
The president said he
previously discussed the issue with Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and he called on
"relevant agencies" to give consideration to a vodka price cap.
The current state-mandated minimum price for a
half-liter of vodka, about 17 ounces, currently stands at $4.12, a 30 percent
increase over the price in 2013.
The Russian ruble has lost value recently, due in
part to Western sanctions and the falling price of oil.
A study published in January suggests about 25
percent of Russian men die before the age of 55, and a majority of the deaths
have alcohol-related causes such as liver disease and alcohol poisoning.
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