How does alcohol impact the lives of Russian women?
Alcohol, grim reaper of Russian men, sorrow of Russian women
To the everlasting regret of Russian women, the importance of vodka to the social life of Russian men cannot be overstated. Consumption of alcohol by Russian men is unparalleled in the world. The average Russian man drinks more than a bottle of vodka every other day, and that's not even counting additional beer, wine, whiskey, cognac, etc., according to the Russian Health Ministry. Overindulging isn't seen as a curse, it's simply part of being a Russian man. And poor Russian women are left to pick up the pieces.
Russian women, the enablers
Counterfeit alcohol - bottled and labeled like the real thing but highly toxic - also has flooded every Russian region. The result: Over 70,000 Russian men die from alcohol poisoning every year, so many that alcohol poisoning is a separate subcategory in governmental statistics along with traffic accidents, drowning, etc. "Throughout Russia from village to village, degradation of Russian men from alcohol is complete, and it runs through entire families", said George Manikhas, of the Russian Healthy Ministry. "This is a true disaster". And poor Russian women: mothers, wives, daughters are the true victims of this degradation, from generation to generation.
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