International conference on problems of struggle with alcoholism to be held in Ufa on April

Wide distribution of alcoholism in modern Russian society has become the theme of the news-conference, held in the news-agency “Bashinform” today with the participation of the chairman of the Russian Council Executive Committee RB Vladimir Samorodov, Chairman of the Russian Council culture department Viktor Afanasiev and the deputy director of the Institute of social-political and lawful investigations under the Academy of sciences RB Guldar Khilajeva.

Unfortunately the problem of alcoholism is very troubling for Bashkortostan as well as for Russia in a whole.

“Many countries struggle with alcoholism but unfortunately our country is found in the Top 3 of the “prize-winners” – Vladimir Samorodov said – “And the fact that not just our “today” but the “tomorrow” of our country perishes because of alcoholism looks especially oppressive. What can we expect from the children, reared by the parents-alcoholics?”

For the last years the consumption of drinks by teenagers has grown up in the country several times, especially the use of beer.

“This tendency is caused first of all by the active advertisement of soft drinks” – Vladimir Samorodov thinks – “Every of us watches the boom of beer advertising on TV-screens every day. Sure, alcoholic production fills up the local budgets but it doesn’t excuse that harm it does to our society, so it would be expedient to moderate this advertising and to impose certain restrictions both on producers and sellers of drinks”.

The number of alcoholics in Russia is estimated approximately at 2,5 million people. The peak of growth of alcoholism falls on 1993-2003 and the reasons, as Viktor Afanasiev believes, are quite clear – the endless reforms, the loss of moral guidelines and social injustice.

In April 2010 the problems of struggle with alcoholism will be under discussion at the international scientific-practical conference, held in Ufa at the Academy of Sciences RB by the initiative of the Russian Council RB with the assistance of the State Council RB, the World Bashkir Kurultay, Ministry of culture and national politics RB, Ministry of health protection RB, Ministry of youth policy, sport and tourism RB, Ministry of internal affairs RB, the Union of Women RB, the Friendship House RB, the Children Fund RB, the charitable fund “No to alcoholism and drug addiction” and others.