Russia’s Putin slams ministers over alcohol deaths
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Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday demanded his government end Russia’s plague of alcohol-linked deaths, saying it was neglecting a problem that caused tens of thousands of deaths a year.
He told Agriculture Minister Alexei Gordeyev to deliver suggestions to halt the sale of widely available bootleg spirits, which can kill if badly distilled.
“Do you remember how many people die every year from drinking counterfeit alcohol? What do you think we should do?” Itar-Tass news agency quoted him as asking Gordeyev at a meeting of ministers.
“Have a think. Give the prime minister suggestions. This is not a good situation. How long can we stand it?”
According to official statistics, close to 40,000 people died of alcohol-related causes in Russia last year - a major cause of death in a country where the population is falling sharply.
Putin criticised the government for not trying to discourage drinking in alcohol-loving Russia, where some organisations estimate as much as 15 litres of pure alcohol is drunk per person per year, a quarter of which is counterfeit.
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