No strong alcohol in Moscow after 10 p.m.

Russians drink about 18 litres of pure alcohol a year[1] (which is equivalent of 38 litres of vodka), a habit that kills half a million people a year and is a major factor in population decline. An estimated 51% of production is on the black market, with factories running illegal night shifts and huge supplies of moonshine called samogon distilled in villages, where it acts as a second currency.

Last summer the Russian President, Mr Medvedev, called Russia's alcohol problem a "national disgrace" and said he was determined to cut that figure by a quarter by 2012.

Since then, the Russian authorities have introduced a three-fold tax rise on beer and a minimum price on vodka of US$3 per half-litre that entered into force in January this year, and last month the police began enforcing a zero drink-drive limit. Legal changes to make it a criminal rather than an administrative offence to sell alcohol to minors are also in the pipeline

In the most recent of a series of measures designed to break the country's drinking habit, the Mayor of Moscow, Jurij Lusjkov, has introduced a ban on the sale of spirits between 10pm and 10am. From 1 September, shops and kiosks in Russia's capital city will not be able to sell any drinks with an alcohol level above 15% abv between the hours of 10p.m. and 10a.m.

Retailers in Moscow are currently forbidden from selling alcohol between 11 p.m. and 8 a.m. There will be no change to this rule for beer and wine retailers. Some business commentators have put the emphasis on the opportunities the new measure creates for beer producers.

Yevgeny Bryun, the ministry of health's chief specialist on alcohol and drug addiction, welcomed this law although he admitted that hardened drinkers could still down vodka during the day and "catch up" late at night by purchasing beer, "but overall the alcohol burden will be lower".

Mariann Skar, Secretary General of Eurocare, commenting on the news praised the efforts of the Russian authorities to curb the incidence of alcohol related problems and signalled that “restrictions on hours of sale are among the 10 most effective measures” and she added that “however full spectrum interventions are needed to achieve the greatest population impact”. She also emphasised the importance of enforcement.

Andrey Demin, a public health expert who drew up a recent report on alcohol abuse, said future measures would face stiff opposition in parliament. "The alcohol lobby and foreign producers in Russia are so strong and ruthless," he said.

Demin said higher prices, tougher legislation and stricter control on production and distribution were the only solutions. "Otherwise this extermination by alcohol will continue".

The Guardian - vodka ban
BBC - minimum-price law
[1] Average consumption per person over the age of 18