Researchers blame vodka for high death rates in Russia

A recent Russian study has blamed excessive alcohol intake, particularly vodka, for the high number of early deaths in Russia.

The study says a quarter of Russian men die before reaching 55 years, and most of the deaths are down to alcohol. The causes of death include liver disease and alcohol poisoning.

Researchers from the Russian Cancer Centre in Moscow, Oxford University in the UK and the World Health Organization International Agency for Research on Cancer, in France, tracked the drinking patterns of 151,000 adults in three Russian cities over up to 10 years.

Heavy drinkers in the study were drinking an approximate 1.5 litres of vodka every week. Moreover, the researchers said during the study period, eight thousand of the adults had died.

In an effort to deter heavy drinking, in 2006, Russia implemented stricter alcohol control measures, including tax hikes and sale restrictions.

Alcohol consumption has since decreased by a third and the proportion of men dying before reaching 55 years has fallen by 12%.

However, vodka is still relatively cheap with Russian adults' intake amounting to an average of 13 litres of pure alcohol, among which is eight litres in spirits.

Researchers say the key problem driving the high death rate is binge drinking and said a culture change is needed to offset the worrying figures.

"The per-capita amount is not the main problem, but conversely, the pattern of drinking is the main cause of the high death rate," Researcher Prof David Zaridze, from the Russian Cancer Research Centre said.