An optimistic survey of the battle against alcohol abuse.

(Le Monde - Paris - 5th of March 1988)

ABSTRACT: Mr. Gorbachev has begun to conduct an anti-alcohol battle by enforcing prohibition. But the disastrous results of this are already evident: ten thousand cases of lethal intoxications due to home made alcohol were recorded, as well as a tremendous increase in crime related to alcohol abuse.

(Radical News n. 1 - April 1988)

The interior minister has drawn up a rather optimistic survey of the anti-alcohol measures this week, measures that represent, for a large part of the Soviet population, the essence of Gorbachev's administration.

As far as active results are concerned, Colonels Ogorodnikov and Arkoun, both in charge of the general direction for the safeguard of public order, recorded a reduction by five million of the number of infractions to the laws that repress drunkenness, by 14% of the number of mortal accidents related to the same cause, and by 11% of deaths caused by diseases related to alcohol abuse.

These are not irrelevant figures, however, the two colonels state, the administrative measures are too often a substitute for a deeper work. This causes a "resistance" on the part of a portion of population, and the formation of queues ("with all the consequences involved") in front of those liquor shops that have not been closed.

Second problem - relative to health, not public order - the uncontrolled production of home made alcohol has enormously increased. At such a point that last year 500,000 clandestine producers were prosecuted, 3,5 million litres of various home made alcohol were seized, as well as tons of sugar and 167,000 machines of all sorts used clandestinely.

The result, according to the interior minister: in 1987 10,000 cases of lethal intoxications were recorded, caused by surrogate alcohol, and the crime connected to alcohol abuse problems has risen "on over half of the territory".

In short: not a point in favour of Mr. Gorbachev