Adopted dry law in the USSR. What is dry law and in what years did it operate in the USSR? Ridiculous anti-alcohol laws

- a law on the complete ban on the production, sale and consumption of all alcoholic beverages.

One of the first countries to adopt restrictions on the sale of alcohol was Sweden. In 1865, the Gottenburg system was introduced in this country, according to which the right to sell alcohol was granted to joint-stock companies with special permission from the community. They were given from 5 to 6% of the profits from the sale of alcohol. The rest of the proceeds went to the treasury. Sale was allowed only in well-equipped establishments, with a wide selection of hot snacks and dishes. As an exception, only 50 ml of alcohol was dispensed without snacks.

The money from the sale of alcohol was not included in the income of the owner of the establishment. Alcohol was not sold on credit, to drunks and children. The system lasted until 1919 and was replaced by the Bratt system. According to the Bratt system, the head of the family or a person at least 21 years of age who had a permanent job had the right to purchase four liters of alcohol once a month. The card for the right to receive the product was valid only for a certain store. The system is still in operation.

In 1912, a ban was introduced on the distribution of alcoholic products in Iceland. Under pressure from Spain, which demanded the import of its wines under the threat of stopping purchases of Icelandic fish, the ban was lifted in 1923.

In 1919, a ban on the production and sale of alcohol was introduced Norway. Spain, France, Italy demanded its cancellation, threatening to stop purchasing fish and fish products. In 1926 the ban was lifted. During the ban, consumption has dropped from 20 liters to 3 per capita. It is currently the lowest in Europe.

Also in 1919, Prohibition was introduced in Finland. On June 1, 1919, a law was passed that secured the state-owned alcohol company a monopoly on the production, import and sale of alcoholic beverages. Alcohol could only be used for medical and technical purposes.

The response to harsh measures was moonshine and alcohol smuggling through the Gulf of Finland. Every year, up to 6 million liters of illegal booze were brought into the country. Smuggled alcohol was sold either in 12-liter canisters, or in vessels with a capacity of a quarter of a liter (the so-called "sparrows"). In any Helsinki restaurant, knowing the correct terms, one could order tea or coffee fortified with alcohol.

In late 1931, the government organized a popular referendum to repeal Prohibition. More than 70% of the citizens who took part in the voting supported the repeal of the law. On April 5, 1932, at 10:00 am, liquor stores were opened throughout the country, but strictly under state control.

It was possible to buy alcohol only in specialized stores "Alco". There are only 32 such stores in Helsinki. Moreover, they work from 10 to 18, on Saturday and Sunday - a day off. The cheapest Finnish vodka cost more than 20 euros until recently.

Under pressure public opinion, March 1, 2004, many restrictions on the sale of alcohol were lifted.

In 1920 Congress USA adopted Prohibition as the 18th Amendment to the Constitution. This law prohibited the manufacture, transportation, and sale of liquor throughout the United States. Despite the obligation to comply, the law was not ratified in the states of Connecticut, Rhode Island, Illinois, Wisconsin, in which the manufacture and smuggling of alcoholic products to other states was subsequently established. The positive effect of the law on health, the increase in labor productivity affected during three years. Subsequently, the mafia, mainly in New York and Chicago, organized a clandestine production of alcohol, smuggling alcohol from Europe, mainly from France, as well as from non-prohibition states. As a result, the law was blocked by the mafia and big business representatives standing behind them. According to the FBI official Dorogiani, who is responsible for the implementation of the Prohibition, secret production was 7-8 times higher than the production of alcohol for technical purposes. By the end of the 1920s, the Mafia's liquor revenue exceeded $2 billion a year. About 2,500 agents were appointed by the government to enforce Prohibition. After spending $12 million to combat the violators of Prohibition, the US government repealed the law in 1932.

Since 1977, Prohibition has been in effect in Iran .

In 2008, dry law was introduced in the capital Mongolia Ulaanbaatar. Such actions were taken by the government of the country in connection with the mass alcohol poisoning of people during the celebration of the new year 2008.

A complete or partial ban on alcohol is a topic that worries any connoisseur of alcoholic beverages. Today we will take all the most interesting things about dry laws, press from this fragrant cake, let it ferment, distill and serve you in portions, in delicious misted piles.

To drink or not to drink? This is one of the questions society needs to answer. Drunkenness and its consequences adversely affect the state of the economy, families break up, and the health of the population worsens.

They try to solve the problem in different ways. Someone stands up for the culture of drinking, someone demands to ban alcohol altogether. In some countries, the fight against drunkenness has taken the form of a legislative ban on the production and sale of alcoholic beverages. Prohibition was in effect in the United States in the last century. In Russia, it was introduced in 1914. Many people remember Gorbachev's "semi-dry" law and its consequences, which caused an ambiguous reaction from the people. Prohibition in Finland as a way to combat drunkenness and the degradation of society lasted almost 13 years. So is it possible to fight alcoholism with the help of legislation?

Prohibition in the USA: prerequisites for the introduction

Alcohol consumption has always been part of the American way of life. Any event, be it a national scale or a family event, could not do without strong drinks, especially beer and various cocktails. The realization of the harmfulness of this habit for society brought to life the most famous example of an uncompromising fight against drunkenness in history - prohibition in America.

In the 19th century, saloons became widespread in American culture. They often played not only the role of drinking and gaming establishments, but also restaurants, brothels, courtrooms and even churches. Only men were allowed in the saloons, the appearance of a woman cast a stain on her reputation. In the West, men simply had nowhere to go after hard work. And they relaxed in the saloons, the atmosphere of which is conveyed in cowboy films.

Women, worried about drunkenness and fighting, sometimes with stabbing, demanded that these establishments be closed. The first sobriety societies appeared. In Kansas, in 1881, a law was passed banning all alcoholic beverages. Several other states followed suit. The influence of the Anti-Saloon League grew, becoming the most influential political force demanding a ban on saloons. She was supported by Protestant religious figures who pointed to drunkenness as the main cause of the moral decay of American society. Thus, prohibition in the United States did not arise from scratch, but as a result of many years of society's struggle against alcoholism.

Alcohol law in action

In 1919, despite a veto by President Woodrow Wilson, both the House of Representatives and the Senate voted overwhelmingly in favor of the 18th Amendment to the US Constitution. This is the famous Prohibition.

He severely restricted the sale and consumption of alcohol, declaring "intoxicating" all liquids with an alcohol content of more than 0.5%. Production, sale, barter, transportation, export, import, delivery of such drinks were banned. The exception was the use of alcohol for scientific, medical and religious purposes.

The era of the fight against alcohol began. Factories for the production of wine and beer were closed, already existing stocks were destroyed.

A network of agents worked throughout the country to eliminate the underground trade in alcohol. All saloons were closed.

Effects of Prohibition

The consumption of alcoholic beverages has sharply decreased, and the death rate as a result of drunkenness has decreased. Much lower were such indicators as mortality from cirrhosis of the liver and pancreatitis, the diagnosis of "alcoholic psychosis", arrests for drunkenness, etc.

But there were also negative consequences, about which the information spread more widely than about the positive ones, largely due to gangster films and means mass media, blowing up a sensation even from insignificant events. The smuggling of alcohol across the border and delivery to underground establishments has expanded. The production of alcoholic beverages at home has increased, since the law did not prohibit their consumption at home. The quality of the alcohol consumed decreased, as the underground workshops could not provide sufficient purification. Instead of saloons, new establishments appeared - speakeasy, in which women were also allowed, equalizing them with men in the right to drink.

And the illegal circulation of alcohol gave impetus to the flourishing of the American mafia, which made huge profits on this. Now, speaking about the consequences of American Prohibition, many quote the famous gangster Al Capone: "Prohibition brought nothing but trouble." But for him and the mafia fraternity, he became a source of fabulous profits, which later became the basis of the wealth of many current American millionaires.

As a result of the Great Depression in 1933, Prohibition was repealed. But individual states kept it on their territory until 1966. And legal advertising of alcoholic beverages was allowed in the United States only in 2001.

The appearance of vodka in Russia

Russia, contrary to popular belief, has not always been the most drinking country in the world. Vodka was only discovered in 1428 by Genoese merchants. But immediately it was banned due to the consequences of its use. Ivan III practically introduced a ban on the manufacture of alcoholic beverages. But under Ivan the Terrible, vodka triumphantly returned to Russia in the "tsar's taverns". But at the same time, the alcohol content in it was much lower than now. Yes, and you could buy it only in a tavern. Vodka was sold only in buckets for takeaway, for which ordinary drunkards had no money. Therefore, drunkenness is not widespread. But already under Peter I and Catherine II, taverns began to appear in large numbers, since vodka became a source of taxes for the treasury, each tavern owner had to pay a tax.

But by the beginning of the 19th century, society realized the perniciousness of alcoholism and began to fight against drunkenness. Sobriety societies emerged. There were calls in the newspapers to stop the drinking of the common people. The Church excommunicated inveterate drunkards from communion. The case ended with the anti-alcohol riots of 1858-1859. As a result, some restrictions on the sale of alcohol were adopted.

Law of 1914

Before the outbreak of the First World War, the dry law was adopted in the country. For three years prior, the State Duma had been discussing the problem of drunkenness, listening to the most different opinions deputies. As a result, a complete ban on the sale of any alcohol was signed by Nicholas II. The law was warmly supported by the people of Russia. Crime has dropped sharply, the time has come for universal sobriety. Naturally, the consequences in the form of death from drunkenness, injuries and mutilations, liver diseases, cases of insanity based on alcoholic fever were also greatly reduced. Thus, the Prohibition of 1914 brought immeasurable benefits to society.

The fight against drunkenness under the Bolsheviks

After the 1917 revolution, the fight against alcohol did not stop. In 1919, the sale of alcohol was banned. State and private wine cellars were destroyed. It was forbidden to appear drunk in public places, criminal liability was provided for this. Commissars of the Red Army for such a sin could be shot. Such strictness did not cause any special questions among the people; the people were accustomed to the operation of Prohibition. As a result, after the repeal of the law in 1925, people still refrained from excessive consumption of strong drinks.

And only in 1964, our country again reached the level of 1913 in terms of alcohol consumption per capita.

Prerequisites for the "Gorbachev Law"

But in subsequent years, alcohol consumption grew rapidly. By 1985, there were about 5 million officially registered alcoholics in the USSR. The national economy was annually damaged in the amount of 100 billion rubles. The consumption of pure alcohol per person (including infants and the elderly) has reached 10.6 liters per year. As a result, life expectancy has decreased, and the health of the population has deteriorated sharply. Various reasons pushed for drunkenness, among which were the difficult living conditions and the unsettled life of the majority of the people, low level culture. Many people did not know another way to fill the free time that appeared. A bad example was shown by the authorities at all levels. Drunkenness has become something ordinary, habitual for society. It was not the alcoholics who got the blame, but the non-drinkers. The results were sad: broken families, crime, especially hooliganism, industrial and household injuries...

In 1985, when the situation became extremely acute, the Resolution of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the CPSU on the fight against drunkenness was adopted. Measures were planned to gradually reduce the consumption of strong alcoholic beverages, increase the production of dry wine and beer, soft drinks. It was necessary to find sources of income that could replace the budget profit from the sale of vodka. The time for the sale of alcoholic beverages was limited. The decree could not be called dry law, since the production and sale of alcohol did not stop, but decreased.

Effects of Prohibition

Initially, society reacted positively to the changes. But soon discontent and irritation began to accumulate among the people. Command-administrative methods, which solved the problem of combating drunkenness, did a disservice to the entire anti-alcohol campaign. Hundreds of shops and distilleries were closed, people lost their jobs. According to the saying “make a fool pray to God, he will hurt his forehead” the vineyards of the Crimea and the Caucasus were cut down. Contrary to the decree, wine production did not increase, but declined. But the production of surrogates, especially moonshine, began to develop. The expensive equipment for breweries imported from Czechoslovakia was never installed. Sugar disappeared from store shelves, almost all of it went to the production of moonshine. No cheap colognes left. Liquor stores were literally taken by storm. Huge queues lined up for them from the very morning. Buying a bottle of wine or vodka for the celebration has become a big problem. Instead of money for various works, it was customary to pay "half a liter". Vodka became a "liquid currency" for which everything could be exchanged.

But there were also many positive results. Mortality due to drunkenness has decreased, although the number of cases of poisoning by surrogates has increased. There was less loss of working time, injuries. Crime has decreased, the number of divorces due to drunkenness has decreased. Alcohol consumption has been reduced by at least a third. During 1985-1987, the country experienced a sharp increase in life expectancy - by 2.8 years for men and 1.3 years for women. There was an increase in the birth rate. Prohibition in the USSR saved millions of lives.

Today's position

Now Russia ranks first in alcohol consumption, they drink up to 14 liters of pure alcohol a year. Again, there are pictures of the degradation of society. Especially rapidly alcoholism is spreading among young people. And again there is talk about the introduction of dry law.

Opponents of such a measure say that if there is no culture of drinking alcoholic beverages, then dry law will not help either. The years of such acts were remembered for the growth in the production and consumption of surrogates and poisoning with them. Proponents argue that with a complete ban on alcohol, any attempts to get around it can be quickly suppressed.

Is dry law necessary in Russia? Will it help in the current situation? These questions are difficult to answer unambiguously. But one thing is clear: prohibitions alone will not solve the matter. Powerful educational work, promotion of a sober lifestyle. It is necessary to offer an alternative to drunken pastime. And to show how much more interesting life can be with a clear head.

Mayurov Alexander Nikolaevich- President of the International Academy of Sobriety, Dr. pedagogical sciences, Professor.

2014 marks the 100th anniversary of the adoption of Prohibition in Russia. On the eve of this date, in October 2013, the founding conference of the Prohibition Party of Russia was held in St. Petersburg. And in December 2013 International Academy sobriety instituted the Commemorative Medal "100 Years of Prohibition in Russia". About 300 famous people in the CIS and Baltic countries were awarded this award. Among them, Fr. Anatoly Berestov, head of the rehabilitation center in Moscow; Igor Vasilyevich Bestuzhev-Lada, Doctor historical sciences, professor, academician of the Russian Academy of Education; Egor Afanasyevich Borisov, President of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia); Nikolai Petrovich Burlyaev, actor, film director, People's Artist of Russia; Nikolai Fedorovich Gerasimenko, deputy State Duma RF; Sergei Yuryevich Glazyev, Advisor to the President of the Russian Federation; Alexander Vasilyevich Dzheus, General Director of the All-Russian children's center"Eaglet"; Ivan Vladimirovich Drozdov, Russian writer; Mikhail Alexandrovich Men, Minister of Construction and Housing and Public Utilities; Gennady Grigoryevich Onishchenko, Assistant to the Prime Minister of the Russian Federation; Evgeny Vadimovich Roizman, Mayor of Yekaterinburg; Archimandrite Tikhon (Shevkunov), abbot of the Sretensky Stauropegial Monastery, rector of the Sretensky Theological Seminary, and many others.

Vladimir Rogoza in the magazine "School of Life" reports that the budget Russian Empire in 1914, the income from the wine monopoly in the amount of 1 billion rubles was pledged. The money at that time was solid, but they were obtained at the expense of human lives- from 1911 to 1913 the consumption of vodka increased by 17%. 1913 in the history of the Russian empire was recognized as one of the most drunk. In the press and in the State Duma, the budget was openly called drunk, and the authorities were accused of purposefully soldering the people. The problem of alcohol consumption was actually very acute. The financial losses from crime, injuries and absenteeism associated with drunkenness were significant. But the main thing is that drunkenness began to threaten the health of the nation and the existence of Russian civilization.

At the same time, Emperor Nicholas II moved to openly support the growing popular teetotaling movement and pursue a policy of systemic restriction of alcohol consumption - there was a recent sad story in my memory: in 1905, when the war with Japan began, many reservists drank what is called “in black", and the country failed to mobilize the army in the right time.

Historian E.V. Pashkov, in his article “The Anti-Alcohol Campaign in Russia during the First World War,” reports that on January 14, 1914, Baron K.V. Kaulbars (1844 - 1925) sent the Chairman of the Council of Ministers V.N. Kokovtsov (1853 - 1943) the report "On the question of drunkenness" marked "urgent", in which he indicated that "all the thoughts already expressed on this issue have led to nothing and, of course, will not lead." Kaulbars suggested taking radical measures: “1. Drunkenness and vodka both must be destroyed, because no one needs vodka - except for a pharmacy - only with the permission of a doctor. 2. The state should increase its income, but not reduce it at all ... This is quite possible, because you can take “more and easier” from a rich and sober direct tax. Drunkenness was then understood as any consumption of alcohol.

January 26, 1914 Comrade Minister of Trade and Industry of the Russian Empire P.L. Bark (1869 - 1937) at the highest audience presented his financial program to the tsar, which was very unexpected for many, but not for Nicholas II. P.L. Bark categorically stated: "You cannot build the well-being of the treasury on the sale of vodka ... It is necessary to introduce an income tax and take all measures to reduce the consumption of vodka."

One of the opponents of restricting the trade in alcohol in Russia was the Chairman of the Council of Ministers and Minister of Finance V.N. Kokovtsov. On January 30, 1914, he was relieved of the posts of Chairman of the Council of Ministers and Minister of Finance, leaving him a member of the State Council and a senator. The next day Nicholas II in a rescript addressed to the new head of the Ministry of Finance P.L. Barka instructed him: “To improve the economic situation of the people, while not being afraid of financial losses, since the income to the treasury should come from“ inexhaustible sources of sovereign wealth and productive labor of the people ”, and not from the sale of a potion that destroys the“ spiritual and economic forces ”of the majority loyal subjects." On May 6 of the same year, P.L. Bark simultaneously occupied the posts of Minister of Finance and Chief of the Separate Corps of Border Guards. Minister of War V.A. Sukhomlinov (1848-1926) by May 1914 prepared a draft plan for the closure of all drinking establishments in the country, except for restaurants of the first category in mobilization areas. In June 1914 V.A. Sukhomlinov asked the Minister of Internal Affairs N.A. Maklakov (1871-1918) to ensure that during the mobilization the alcohol trade was closed everywhere.

Reasonable and thinking people not only advocated sobriety against the active soldering of the people, but also backed up their words with practical actions. In six months of 1914 (from February to July), the government of the Russian Empire approved 800 requests from rural communities to ban the sale of alcohol on their territory. This is 200 more appeals than for the entire period from 1895 to 1906. In May 1914, the Duma actively discussed the issue that, if the war breaks out, it would be necessary to introduce significant restrictions on the trade in alcohol, and even prohibition. On May 22, in accordance with the decree of the king, an order was issued by the military department No. 309 on measures against the consumption of alcohol in the army. According to the order, officers who appeared in a state of intoxication anywhere were subjected to strict disciplinary action up to and including dismissal from service. The work of commanding officers was evaluated by the degree of sobriety of subordinates.

Regimental doctors and priests were charged with the duty to promote sobriety among soldiers and officers. The heads of divisions were instructed to pay special attention in their annual reports to those issues that contribute to the formation of sobriety among their subordinates. The lower ranks of all categories, as well as reserve and militia warriors during training camps were forbidden to consume any alcohol anywhere. The lower ranks, punished for drinking alcohol, were forbidden to be promoted to non-commissioned officers and corporals and promoted, as well as to appoint young soldiers as teachers. Non-commissioned officers who have been disciplined for drinking alcohol should not be tolerated in non-commissioned officer positions. When being transferred to the reserve, the lower ranks, seen in the use of alcohol, were forbidden to issue commendable certificates for their service. Thus, already before the war, the army was brought into a sober order.

One should not think that the government fought the alcohol problem one-sidedly, that it only reduced the alcohol counter and worked with the military, and did not engage in educating the entire population in sobriety. All it was different. On August 8-9, 1914, the All-Russian Union of Cities was created, one of the main areas of work of which was the struggle for sobriety. During the years of the war, the union turned into a large public organization. By the summer of 1917, he united representatives of 640 out of 790 Russian cities. Representatives of 75 largest cities, whose population accounted for 70% of the urban population of Russia.

Here is another example from that time. On June 29, 1914, the Law “On the benefit to the society“ The First Russian Sergius School of Sobriety ”was issued, approved by the State Council and the State Duma. In accordance with this law, the First Russian Sergius School of Sobriety in 1914 received 25,000 rubles. for the construction of a second building. And starting from 1915, it was prescribed to allocate 22 thousand rubles annually from the state treasury for two years. to promote soberness at school. As you know, then it was a lot of money. A cow at that time cost 5-7 rubles.

On July 18, 1914, when it became clear that Russia would participate in the war, Emperor Nicholas II granted the right to local governments, at their discretion and under their responsibility, to close the alcohol trade. And within three days throughout Russia, the sale of alcohol was almost completely stopped. When mobilization began in the country, it turned out that the measures taken were not enough. On August 16, 1914, Prohibition was tightened and extended until the end of hostilities. Alcohol was used only for medical purposes for the needs of the front. No one then could have imagined that the restriction would be in effect for almost ten years. It is about this period that English public figure Lloyd George wrote: "This is the most magnificent act of national heroism that I know."

Initially, the Ministry of Finance planned to resume the sale of strong alcoholic products from August 7, then from August 16, and finally from September 1. But on August 4, Nicholas II held a meeting of the Council of Ministers in Moscow. “Informing us,” writes P. Bark in his memoirs, “about the numerous requests he received, the sovereign added that in the morning he received a deputation from the peasants, who begged him not to reopen wine shops, and therefore he would like to hear the opinion of the Council of Ministers, to what extent such a desire is feasible. All ministers present answered in principle in the affirmative. On August 16, 1914, the Chairman of the Council of Ministers notified the Minister of Justice that Emperor Nicholas II had extended Prohibition on August 22 until the end of wartime. And on August 30, 1914, Nicholas II issued a decree on stopping the issuance of a glass of wine to soldiers and sailors, increasing their food rations at the expense of this amount. As V.S. Pikul in his novel "Unclean Force", it was on the initiative of the Minister of Finance P.L. Barca by the law of September 16, 1914 trade in vodka for the duration of the war was completely stopped.

On September 27, 2014, Nicholas II approved the provision of the Council of Ministers, which gave the right to zemstvo assemblies and city dumas to initiate petitions “for the prohibition (after the war) within the areas under their jurisdiction and a hundred-yard strip from their borders, the sale of strong products, and this provision of the law does not establish no constraint or restriction ... as to the scope of their applications.” On September 28, 2014, the emperor, responding to a telegram from the honorary chairman of the Sobriety Society of Russia, Grand Duke Konstantin Konstantinovich, mentioned that he had decided to ban the sale of vodka forever.

On October 16, 1914, the head of the Main Directorate of Non-Salary Duties and State Sale of Drinks (GUNSiKPP) sent a circular to the excise tax administrators, in which he announced the order of the Minister of Finance "to close about half of the available state-owned wine shops and proceed with a gradual dismissal ... with the issuance of a supernumerary allowance of the corresponding number sellers and fundraisers, as well as to subject the administration of state-owned wine warehouses to some reduction ... ".

Beer had not yet been banned at the start of hostilities, and the alcohol business exploited this loophole. The authorities understood this and wanted to somehow reduce beer consumption. On November 11, 1914, the government issued a decree “On an increase in the excise tax on brewing”, which provoked a significant increase in the price of beer, which made it less affordable.

At the end of 1914, serious changes took place in the public temperance movement. better side. Since December 31, 2014, the All-Russian Alexander Nevsky Brotherhood of Sobriety was placed under the patronage of Empress Alexandra Feodorovna (1872–1918), which contributed to the revitalization of its activities. In connection with this event Chest sign The All-Russian Alexander Nevsky Brotherhood of Sobriety was crowned.

Under the influence and financial support of the Alexander Nevsky Brotherhood of Sobriety, teetotal literature began to be published in the Russian Empire.

Archbishop Arseniy of Novgorod (1862–1936), a member of the State Council and the Holy Synod, was elected chairman of the Alexander Nevsky Brotherhood of Sobriety. Bishop Veniamin of Gdov (1873–1922), Minister of Finance P.L. Bark, Minister of Railways S.V. Rukhlov (1852–1918), Chief Prosecutor of the Holy Synod V.K. Sabler (1845–1929), secretary of Empress Alexandra Feodorovna Count Ya.N. Rostovtsev (1873–1931), Protopresbyter of the military and naval clergy Father G. Shavelsky (1871–1951), former prosecutor of the Holy Synod, member of the State Council S.M. Lukyanov (August 23, 1855 - September 2, 1935), confessor of the imperial couple, Archpriest A. Vasiliev (September 6, 1868 - August 23 (September 5), 1918). The brotherhood united about 70 thousand people. The Alexander Nevsky Brotherhood of Sobriety took part in the publication of teetotaling periodicals 1 .

At the same time, on the initiative of Empress Alexandra Feodorovna and with active participation The All-Russian Alexander Nevsky Brotherhood of Sobriety in the Russian Empire stopped publishing literature promoting alcohol consumption, in particular in 1914–1915. the “Journal of the Baku-Dagestan Committee of Viticulture and Winemaking”, “Bulletin of distillation”, “Bulletin of the alcohol industry”, “Reports of the Main Directorate of fixed fees and government sale of drinks” ceased to exist. In addition, a number of distilleries "Don Regional Committee of Viticulture and Winemaking", "Lipsky I.V.", "Odessa Association of Brewers", "Rederer Heinrich", "Russian Brewery", " Russian society distilleries”, “South-Russian joint-stock company of breweries”, etc.

However, the plans outlined by the All-Russian Alexander Nevsky Brotherhood of Sobriety - the creation of a House of Sobriety, as well as a museum, an institute with a reading room where lectures could be held, a shelter and a rooming house for alcoholics - remained unfulfilled. The Brotherhood was liquidated in 1918, on the 20th anniversary of its existence; his property was confiscated, his capital annulled.

Of course, the State Duma of the fourth convocation (November 15, 1912 - February 25, 1917) also made its contribution to the cultivation of sobriety in the Russian Empire. In particular, with her support, the Clinical Anti-Alcohol Institute was established in St. Petersburg. Unfortunately, the draft law "On approval for eternity in the Russian state of sobriety", signed by 82 members of the State Duma, was never considered.

On February 20, 1915, the head of the GUNSiKPP sent a circular to the excise tax administrators: in accordance with the order of the Minister of Finance P.L. Barka, it was proposed to gradually close all state-owned wine shops, "with the exception of those in which denatured alcohol is produced or proposed to be sold ...".

Summing up the year-long experience of sobriety, Doctor of Medicine A. Mendelson in the book “Results of forced sobriety and new forms of drunkenness” (1916) wrote: “... further voluntary sober life received an argument in its favor, which was not equal in the history of mankind” .

The results of the ban were stunning even for those of little faith. In 1915, alcohol consumption dropped to 0.2 liters per capita. Labor productivity increased by 9-13%, despite the large number of conscripts. The number of absenteeism decreased by 27-30%. In Ivanovo-Voznesensk, industrial injuries decreased by 13 times. The number of those arrested while drunk in Petrograd in the second half of 1914 decreased by 70%. The number of people delivered to the places of sobering up decreased by 29 times. The number of suicides motivated by alcoholism in Petrograd fell by 50%. Similar results were obtained in nine other provinces of Russia. The volume of cash deposits in savings banks increased: the increase amounted to 2.14 billion rubles. against 0.8 billion rubles. in previous years before the ban.

Along with positive results, there were also negative ones: clandestine moonshining, consumption of surrogates, poisoning by them, violation of the law by individual wine producers, however, these negative phenomena were incomparably smaller in scale than positive changes and could not overshadow the overall optimistic picture.

Two years after the introduction of restrictions on alcohol in the State Duma, at the suggestion of its members, the peasants I.T. Evseev (1877–1930) and P.M. Makogon (1872-1930), a legislative proposal was made "On approval for all time in Russian state sobriety." The explanatory note to him read: “Shame on all those who said that sobriety among the people is unthinkable, that it cannot be achieved by prohibition. Not half-measures are needed for this, but one decisive irreversible measure: to remove alcohol from free circulation in human society for eternity."

The majority of the people ardently supported the idea of ​​universal sobriety. In the preamble to the bill of peasant deputies "On the approval of sobriety in Russia for eternity" it was written: “The right to decide whether or not to be sober during the war was left to the wisdom and conscience of the people themselves. The tale of sobriety - this threshold of earthly paradise - has become true in Rus'.

Crime has fallen, hooliganism has subsided, begging has declined, prisons have been emptied, hospitals have been vacated, peace has come in families, labor productivity has risen, prosperity has appeared.

Despite the shocks experienced, the village has retained economic stability and a cheerful mood. Lightened from a heavy burden - drunkenness - the Russian people immediately rose and grew.

Shame on all those who said that sobriety among the people is unthinkable, that it cannot be achieved by prohibition. Not half-measures are needed for this, but one decisive irreversible measure: to remove alcohol from free circulation in human society and transfer it to pharmacies and special warehouses as a medicine and a product suitable for economic and technical purposes. .

It should be said that Prohibition existed in Norway (1912-1926), Finland (1912-1931), Iceland (1914-1923), USA (1920-1932) and other countries. In all cases, its introduction led to positive results, but the authorities quickly realized the danger of such a concession to the public: the sober working class stepped up the struggle for its political and economic rights. Strikes and demonstrations began. This is one side of the coin. On the other hand, the reason for the abolition of Prohibition was systemic actions against the sobering up of the international and national alcohol mafia. E.V. Pashkov reports that by May 1916 in Russia 96% of private drinking establishments were closed from those available at the beginning of 1914.

Strong alcoholic products were sold only in restaurants. And although numerous ways around the law emerged in response to the decree, the average alcohol consumption per person fell by more than ten times. And only in the 1960s did this figure reach the level of 1913. soviet encyclopedia and Goskomstat of the USSR provide the following data on the per capita consumption of alcoholic products and the consequences of their consumption:

1906–1910 - 3.4 l;

1913 - 4.7 l;

1915 - 0.2 l;

1925 - 0.88 l;

1940 - 1.9 l.

The number of mentally ill due to alcoholism:

1913 - 10,267;

1916–1920 - individual observations.

The percentage of mentally ill alcoholics to the total number admitted to psychiatric hospitals:

1913 - 19.7%;

1915–1920 - less than 1%;

1923 - 2.4%.

There is a strictly objective scientific literature about the beneficial effect this law had on all aspects of the life of the people and the state. Therefore, those who write that the Prohibition “didn’t bring anything good” are simply blatantly lying. In fact, the country immediately came to life: crime dropped sharply, the number of drunkards and the mentally ill decreased significantly.

Already a year after the introduction of Prohibition, labor productivity in industry increased by 9-13%. Absenteeism decreased by 30-40%. Large sums of money began to flow into savings banks, which allowed the Ministry of Finance to raise the issue of large-scale financial reforms.

The main thing is the attitude of the people to this law. The mafia warned that alcohol riots would begin, liquor stores would be destroyed. In fact, the people took this decision as a great national holiday. In a survey of the population, 84% were in favor of introducing a dry law not for the duration of the war, as was written in the decree, but for eternity.

Member of the right group of the State Council A.I. Mosolov (1863 - February 4, 1943) noted that the tsarist ban on the sale of alcohol made it possible, unlike the events of the Russo-Japanese War, to mobilize calmly and without excesses. As follows from the report read by Mosolov before the United Nobility, hooliganism in the country has ceased, family life improved, “... robberies, fights and scandals stopped. There was no ugly swearing. Tramps have disappeared from the streets and beggars have become rare.” "Isn't that a miracle!" - the speaker exclaimed.

Member of the right group of the State Council D.D. Levshin in one of his speeches compared the struggle for popular sobriety with the war with the Germans, emphasizing that the green serpent for Russia is an enemy even more dangerous than the Germans. The right-wing politician urged to take advantage of the current situation and turn a temporary measure to sober up the people into a permanent one, for which he suggested that members of the upper house petition the emperor for the preservation of dry law even after the end of the war.

An outstanding Russian doctor researcher I.N. Vvedensky (1875-1960), in his book "The Experience of Compulsory Sobriety", not without pride in his Fatherland, called the introduction of Prohibition "the most majestic act of national heroism." I.N. Vvedensky is striving with all his might to ensure that his significance is not undermined in the future by compromises and concessions in the great cause of the fight against alcohol.

Drinking capital did not become a silent victim of wartime conditions. Distillers and brewers received appropriate compensation from the government for lost profits, and this was done at the expense of the people. In December 1916, the Ministry of Finance once again extended for six months the right to trade pre-war wines. Drinking capital received millions in profits. This information, which is not mentioned in the popular literature of the time of the ban, is contained in the annual reports of the Main Directorate of non-salary fees and government sale of drinks, in the Government Gazette, the Provisional Government Gazette and other sources.

Tsar Nicholas II decided to take new measures aimed at strengthening teetotaling activities in the Russian Empire. February 3, 1916 political and statesman, great-great-grandson of Empress Catherine II Count A.A. Bobrinsky (May 19, 1852 - September 2, 1927) was appointed chairman of the Special Meeting. Its task was to be the unification of activities "aimed at strengthening the people's sobriety" .

At the same time, the actions of the Russian emperor were often contradictory. So, on May 31, 1916, the tsar allowed free trade in grape wines with a strength of up to 16% in areas where there were no military operations. However, according to the message of the manager of the Ministry of Finance to the Minister of the Interior, "in the areas in which the permission for the sale of grape wines followed, drunkenness is reviving again ...".

On the eve of the revolution, on February 20, 1917, under pressure from the right-wing group in the State Council, a special commission was formed to prepare a draft that would consolidate dry law in Russia. In the opinion of Prince D. P. Golitsyn-Muravlin (1860–1928), the next chairman of the Special Conference on Strengthening Sobriety, which lobbied for the creation of such a commission, the coming “good tidings of peace” should not be disturbed by the “tocsin of general drunkenness”, which would certainly come if together with the cessation of the war, the effect of Prohibition would also cease. ” Therefore, he emphasized, the final law should become "the cornerstone for further sober reform."

In the commission, 6 out of 15 seats were received by the right, they also took leadership positions (V.K. Desyatovsky (Sabler) (1845–1929) - chairman, V.M. Okhotnikov - deputy chairman). But the commission managed to hold only one meeting, which took place on February 22, 1917. The outbreak of the revolution put an end to its activities.

Here is what in the 1920s N.A. Semashko: “Drunkenness has disappeared, and with it fights, murders, fires in villages, accidents in factories and plants; the number of deaths on which drunkenness has a harmful effect (pneumonia, consumption, syphilis) has decreased, the number of mentally ill (crazy) has become less.

Financial expert from the party of cadets A.I. Shingarev (August 18 (30), 1869 - January 7 (20), 1918) calculated that by the middle of 1917 the dry law had deprived the treasury of 2.5 billion rubles. income, which was about 10% of the costs of the war. In October 1916, Minister of Finance P.L. Bark confessed to the tsar that it took the government two years to compensate for the losses from the ban on the sale of liquor. It is clear that elementary banknotes were temporarily "lost", but millions of human lives were saved. If Prohibition had not been introduced for the duration of the war, it is not known how alcohol consumption would have affected the state of the nation, the existence of Russian society in general. After all, it is known that one ruble received in the state budget from alcohol entails losses of 3–6 rubles. Plus moral, physical, ethical, spiritual and other costs.

After the February events of 1917, the Provisional Government upheld all restrictions on alcohol operating under Prohibition. True, as Professor A.V. Nikolaev in his article “Anti-alcohol campaigns of the 20th century in Russia”, after the abdication of Nicholas II from the throne, the new government was faced with rampant rebellious drunkenness. The author writes that in many cities the fight against alcoholism was taken over by public safety committees, committees public organizations, the executive committees of the Soviets of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies. All sorts of measures were taken: from appeals to the population and the publication of names in newspapers to the establishment of the institution of "sobriety inspectors" authorized to detect secret taverns and drunkenness in all trading establishments, private houses and warehouses. Another anti-alcohol campaign began, which remained almost unnoticed by researchers of the alcohol problem.

In a situation of political chaos, wine pogroms began to become more frequent. In addition, during the war years, 70 million buckets of alcohol (in terms of 40-degree alcohol) accumulated in wine warehouses. Realizing that in conditions of anarchy and confusion, wine warehouses can be opened and wine stolen from them, on March 9, 1917, the Provisional Government sent a telegram to all provincial commissars: “Take urgent measures to protect factories with alcohol warehouses.” On March 27, 1917, by order of the Provisional Government, the widespread sale "for drinking consumption of strong drinks and alcohol-containing substances not related to drinks from whatever supplies and materials and by whatever methods these drinks and substances were prepared" was prohibited. These measures had an impact on part of the population, but not everywhere. Wine pogroms continued in a number of places, the military plundered warehouses with alcohol. There were not only drunken clashes with the authorities, but at the instigation of former wine producers, real military conflicts broke out, similar to uprisings, for example, in Syzran, Lipetsk, Yelets, Novocherkassk, Krasnoslobodsk and other places in March - May 1917.

May 20, 1917 Russian Minister of Finance M.I. Tereshchenko (1886–1956) issued a circular “On the state of the fight against drunkenness and on the measures taken in this direction”, where he directly indicated that the worst enemies of the revolution and freedom were intensifying their criminal activities in the manufacture and sale of alcohol, sabotaging the sobriety law. But the forces to suppress drunken pogroms most often were not enough.

With the advent of Soviet power, the struggle for sobriety was continued. The Great October Socialist Revolution took alcohol restrictions as its allies. After victory October revolution, November 8, 1917, the Petrograd Military Revolutionary Committee issued an order that read:

"1. Until further notice, the production of alcohol and any "alcoholic beverages" is prohibited.

2. It is prescribed to all owners of alcohol and wine warehouses, all manufacturers of alcohol and "alcoholic drinks", no later than the 27th of this month, to inform about the exact location of the warehouse.

3. Those guilty of non-execution of the order will be brought to the Military Revolutionary Court.

Curiously, in November 1917, everything was broken: the state machine, the state apparatus, the state system, the judicial and prosecutorial bodies, the police were destroyed, and sobriety was preserved as the successor to normal human relations and traditions, and the formation of a culture of sobriety among the population continued.

Soviet government on different stages anti-alcohol struggle, which was equal in importance to the fight against tuberculosis and venereal diseases, issued a number of decrees and resolutions. In December 1917, the Soviet government extended the ban on the sale of vodka. The next step taken by the VRK in November was the destruction of wine cellars and the dispersal of wine pogroms, which was organized by people who were dissatisfied with the Soviet regime and dreamed of drowning the revolution in wine. At that time V.D. Bonch-Bruyevich (1873–1955).

On May 13, 1918, the All-Russian Central Executive Committee adopted a decree “On granting People's Commissar food emergency powers to combat the rural bourgeoisie, hiding grain stocks and speculating on them. The decree provided for criminal liability for moonshining - up to 10 years in prison with confiscation of property. At the same time, on April 13, 1918, V.I. Lenin signed a decree "On the excise tax on alcohol, wine, yeast, cigarette sleeves, paper and matches." It was this decree that laid the foundation for the development of the production and trade of alcohol in Soviet time. A backward movement has begun. The further activities of the Supreme Council of the National Economy were aimed at the nationalization of distilleries and distilleries in order to replenish the state stocks of alcoholic products.

A logical question is asked by Doctor of Historical Sciences A.N. Yakushev in one of his many works: “Why replenish something that only recently was so actively fought. Wouldn't it be better to repurpose these factories for the production of juices, vinegar, sauces, jams, and finally, delicious tangerine and orange caramel? . And then, in July 1918, the government of the young Soviet Republic once again adopted a decree banning the production of moonshine and the sale of vodka for a period civil war and international intervention. From the decree of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee and the Council of People's Commissars on the fight against food crisis and on the expansion of the powers of the People's Commissariat for Food of May 9, 1918:

“... The All-Russian Central Executive Committee decided:

3. To declare all those who have a surplus of grain and do not take it out to bulk points, as well as those who squander grain stocks for moonshine, enemies of the people, bring them to a revolutionary court so that the perpetrators are sentenced to imprisonment for a term of at least 10 years, expelled forever from communities, all their property was confiscated, and moonshiners, moreover, were sentenced to forced public works.

Chairman of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee Ya. Sverdlov

Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars V. Ulyanov (Lenin)

Secretary of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee Avanesov.

December 19, 1919 Council of People's Commissars of the RSFSR, signed by V.I. Lenin adopted a resolution "On the prohibition in the territory of the country of the manufacture and sale of alcohol, strong drinks and non-alcoholic beverages", which provides for strict measures: at least five years in prison with confiscation of property.

Some authors consider this decision of the Council of People's Commissars as the first step towards a retreat from a sober life and prohibition, but this is not entirely true. The first concessions regarding alcohol occurred at the very beginning of January 1920. Signed by S. Brichkina, secretary of the Council of People's Commissars, a change was made to the decree of December 19, 1919 and it was allowed to produce and sell grape wine with a strength of up to 12 degrees. In the very same resolution of December 19, 1919, there were no concessions.

August 26, 1920 Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars V.I. Lenin signed a decree "On the declaration of all stocks of wines, cognacs and vodka products as state property." Professor A.N. Yakushev reports that by this time 953 distilleries had been nationalized, most of the alcohol produced from which went to the manufacture of gunpowder, was used as motor fuel. And to streamline the activities of factories at the Supreme Economic Council, Glavspirt (Gosspirt) was organized.

On December 22, 1920, the VIII All-Russian Congress of Soviets was held, at which the chairman of the GOELRO G.M. Krzhizhanovsky (1872–1959). The plan specifically emphasized that "the prohibition of the consumption of alcohol should be carried further into practice as unquestionably harmful to the health of the population."

By March 1921, the Bolsheviks had suppressed the main large centers of armed resistance: the Soviet-Polish war had actually ended and the Treaty of Riga was concluded, Far East a “buffer” Far Eastern Republic was formed; back in November 1920, the White troops left the Crimea. Due to the fact that the fronts ceased to exist, a widespread demobilization of the Red Army began. However, at the same time, the general economic and political situation in the country by the spring of 1921 had become extremely difficult. A number of uprisings broke out dissatisfied with the surplus peasants, which was facilitated by mass demobilization. According to Academician S.G. Strumilin, labor productivity during this period fell to 26% of the pre-war level, including due to malnutrition. Truancy, reaching up to 10–15%, was widespread. Iron smelting amounted to only 2.8% of the pre-war level, steel - 4.6%.

IN AND. Lenin, speaking in May 1921 at the X All-Russian Conference of the RCP (b), said “... unlike the capitalist countries, which use such things as vodka and other dope, we will not allow this, because, no matter how they nor were profitable for trade, but they will lead us back to capitalism, not forward to communism ... ".

Professor A.V. Nikolaev in his work “Anti-Alcohol Campaigns of the 20th Century in Russia” reports interesting facts. It turns out that on May 20, 1921, the Politburo of the RCP(b) discussed the issue of taxing vineyards; A commission was set up on the issue of "On the Permission to Drink Wine". July 7, 1921 on next meeting The Politburo of the RCP(b) discussed the proposal "On the use of wine for barter."

Further, the process of retreat from sobriety went with acceleration. On August 9, 1921, the sale of grape wine with a strength of up to 14 degrees was allowed, on December 8, 1921, by a decree "On the sale of grape wines", it was allowed to sell wine with a strength of up to 20 degrees. On February 3, 1922, the sale of beer was allowed; on April 20, 1922, by a decree of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee and the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR, wine was allowed to be sold throughout the USSR. On August 26, 1923, the Central Executive Committee of the USSR and the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR issued a resolution on the resumption of production and trade in alcoholic products in the USSR. After that, on behalf of the Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR A.I. Rykov (1881–1938), the name “rykovka” was fixed for some time for vodka. On December 3, 1924, by a decree of the Central Executive Committee and the Council of People's Commissars, they were allowed to produce and sell liquor with a strength of up to 30 degrees, called "Russian Bitter". Ultimately, I.V. Stalin (December 6 (18), 1878 (according to the official version, December 9 (21), 1879) - March 5, 1953), at the head of the seven in the Politburo of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks, “pushed through” the alcohol issue, and by decree of August 28, 1925, was admitted sale of 40-degree vodka from October 1, 1925 . And our Fatherland went shaky or rolled, but by leaps and bounds to the top of the world alcohol pyramid.

Let's draw some conclusions. Firstly, dry law in Russia was liquidated not by the people, but by the then officials from the CPSU (b) and the Soviet government. Secondly, the external and internal alcohol mafia was interested in the liquidation of the Prohibition. Thirdly, the dry law in our Fatherland was abolished as a "temporary measure, of an unusual nature." Fourthly, the dry law, of course, does not fundamentally solve the alcohol problem, but it systematically affects one of the two reasons for the alcoholization of the people, sharply reducing the alcohol counter in the country. Fifth, for an irreversible solution to the alcohol problem in the country, both dry law and the widespread mass reprogramming of the population from the so-called drinking culture to the culture of sobriety, that is, we are talking about the use of the “press system”, should be harmoniously applied. Sixthly, it is dry law that is the key to solving such a painful problem as home-brewing, brewing, brewing home-made beer, liqueurs and other nasty things, because under dry law violators can be seen immediately. Seventh, in 1914-1920. as such, there was no prohibition, but there were certain serious restrictions on the alcohol trade. Eighth, the temperance movement in Russia in 1914 did not stop working, as some authors believe, it continued its activities until 1917, and some temperance organizations were closed only in 1918. Ninth, the first retreat from sobriety began not in 1925, as some researchers write, and not even in 1920, but in the spring of 1918. Tenthly, the experience of the history of our Fatherland showed that without the introduction of a real Prohibition, along with educating the population of a culture of sobriety, the alcohol problem in country cannot be resolved.

Note

1. The magazine "In the fight for sobriety" since 1914 began to appear in two blocks under the auspices of the Moscow Metropolitan Guardianship of People's Sobriety, but with the financial assistance of the All-Russian Alexander Nevsky Brotherhood of Sobriety. The first block of the journal had a religious, moral and social direction, and the second block - a popular science direction. Both blocks came out in 1915–1916. In St. Petersburg, until 1917, the journal "Bulletin of sobriety" was published. Russian society protection of public health, with the participation of the All-Russian Alexander Nevsky Brotherhood of Sobriety, published until 1917 the "Journal of the Russian Society for the Protection of Public Health." Until December 1916, in Kazan, on the initiative of the Kazan Society of Sobriety and with the financial participation of the All-Russian Alexander Nevsky Brotherhood of Sobriety, one of the best teetotal magazines of the Russian Empire, "Active", was published. Until the end of 1917, in Voronezh, on the initiative of the Voronezh department of the All-Russian Union of Teetotal Christians, an illustrated magazine "Dawn of Sobriety" was published. In 1915, the social and literary newspaper "Green Serpent" was published in Odessa. Also, with the financial support of the All-Russian Alexander Nevsky Brotherhood of Sobriety by the Society of Russian Doctors in memory of N.I. Pirogov, until the end of 1917, the journal "Public Doctor" was published. On its pages a lot of space was devoted to the cultivation of sobriety. In 1915–1916 on the initiative of the Alexander Nevsky brotherhood of sobriety in Petrograd, a weekly teetotaling magazine, Rodnaya Zhizn, was published. Until the end of 1916, the teetotaling magazine "Sower" was published in Ufa with the financial support of the All-Russian Alexander Nevsky Brotherhood of Sobriety. Up to 270 issues of illustrated edifying sheets were published under the journal. In the city of Perekop, Taurida province, with the participation of colleagues from the capital, until the beginning of 1916, the magazine "The Sower of Sobriety" was published. On the initiative of F.N. Grigoriev and with the support of the All-Russian Alexander Nevsky Brotherhood of Sobriety, the magazine "The Power of Sobriety" was published in Petrograd. The foundry department of the All-Russian Alexander Nevsky Brotherhood of Sobriety in Petrograd in 1915–1916. published the weekly All-Russian newspaper "Sobriety".

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On May 17, 1985, an event occurred that outraged the entire adult population of the USSR; the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR “On strengthening the fight against drunkenness” was published in the Pravda newspaper and entered into force. This was the beginning of Gorbachev's "dry law".

After the adoption of the "dry law" in the USSR, most of the shops selling alcoholic beverages were closed. The price of vodka has risen several times. The remaining stores could satisfy the alcohol demand of the hangover population only from 2 pm to 7 pm.
However, the state did not stop at these measures, and began a comprehensive struggle under the motto "Sobriety is the norm of life." Strict measures were taken against the public drinking of alcoholic beverages in public places. Those caught drinking in the workplace were threatened with fines, dismissal, and expulsion from the party. “Komsomol” - non-alcoholic weddings enjoyed great popularity (among the authorities, but by no means among the people). On which, however, the spouses and their guests drank cognac from teapots. In the cities, "sobriety zones" appeared, in which alcohol was not sold. Scenes with drinking alcohol were removed from movies. I remember the cropped film Mom Got Married, where the key scene of a teenager's conversation with his stepfather took place in a pub, was ruthlessly cut out by zealous censors. On the contrary, films praising the sober lifestyle were in favor. One of them is "Lemonade Joe". The same witty people dubbed the author of the "prohibition" Secretary General Party M.S. Gorbachev "Lemonade Joe" and "mineral secretary". In the queues, citizens had fun doing what they were doing "Gorbachev's printing" - having folded a 5-ruble banknote in a certain way, they received the word "drink".
Restricting the sale of alcohol did not at all have the effect that legislators expected. Instead of sober people, they saw huge queues in stores. Those who did not want to stand in lines began to use various substances containing alcohol: pharmacy tinctures (especially, they say, hawthorn was good; colognes and lotions (for example, "Cucumber" - a drink and a snack in one bottle or for ladies - "Pink water"); glue; various detergents. During Prohibition, moonshine brewing and the sale of counterfeit vodka flourished.
But there were also positive moments. In the period 1986-90, the life expectancy of the male population of the state increased by 2.5 years and reached 63 years.
Crime in a state of alcoholic intoxication has decreased several times.
The period of "dry law" in the USSR was called the "twelfth five-year plan". Only in the first years of Gorbachev's "dry law" the production of vodka, the main national drink, decreased from 806 million to 60 million liters.
Mass discontent consumers and economic crisis(largely provoked by the ill-conceived actions of government officials), forced the Soviet leadership to abolish the Prohibition in 1987. But the situation largely remained the same, for example, the sale of alcohol from 2 p.m. was canceled only on July 24, 1990 by a decree of the USSR Council of Ministers. Active promotion of sobriety was stopped, and alcohol sales increased.

Tatiana Voronina