Almost everyone knows that the abuse of alcoholic beverages is harmful to health. What consequences this hobby leads to, what kind of diseases it causes and how many years the life of an addict is shortened, doctors do not stop talking. But sometimes warnings remain only in words. The statistics of drinkers in our country is very sad.

When at first acquaintance with alcohol "gives" a feeling of euphoria and pleasant relaxation, no one thinks about exactly how excessive alcohol consumption harms your health. Retribution comes later, along with the development of persistent addiction. And there are troubles due to a systematic increase in dosage and gradual intoxication of the body. And how soon does a sad result overtake a drunkard?

Alcoholism is one of the most important and urgent problems of our time.

Persons who suffer from their addiction have practically no chance to safely wait for old age and die a natural death. How long a person will live, being under the yoke of alcohol, depends on the regularity, volume, strength of the alcohol consumed, the sex of the person and his initial physiological characteristics.

According to statistics, every year death from alcohol intoxication is about 4% of all deaths.

According to statistics, the number of people who drink is on the rise.

That is, every year about 22.5 million people die as a result of alcohol addiction in the world. From this number:

10% commit suicide;
15% of deaths come from pancreatitis;
20% of pathologies of the cardiovascular system;
25% die as a result of accidents, injuries;
40% die from cirrhosis of the liver and subsequent intoxication.

Of course, the consequences of drinking alcohol are not always fatal. But in any case, alcohol significantly reduces life expectancy and leads to various health problems.

Stages of alcohol intoxication

Narcologists define three stages of alcohol poisoning. These are mild, moderate and severe. A combination of several factors influences how quickly a mild degree of poisoning turns into an average one, and then into a severe one. Such as:

age;
the gender of the person;
heredity;
physical health;
features of physiology;
duration of alcohol consumption.

One of the key points in this matter is the time during which ethanol is absorbed in the body. It is necessary to take into account the presence of individual intolerance. In this case, even a sip of strong drink leads to sad results.

Light degree

Mild intoxication occurs when 0.5-1.5 ppm of ethanol accumulates in the human body. At the same time, the person experiences emotional arousal, a good mood, and shows excessive talkativeness. In addition to psychological symptoms, there are also external confirmations of drinking:

Blurred vision.
Increased respiration.
Coordination disorders.
Redness of the skin.

Mild drunkenness

If you have time to pull yourself together and stop drinking alcohol at this stage, everything will pass without consequences. Only to some, especially sensitive natures, a hangover syndrome may come in the morning.

middle stage

But, when a person continues to drink, he gradually approaches the development of the second degree of intoxication.. At this time, the level of alcohol in the blood reaches 2-2.5 ppm. At this stage, the consequences of excessive drinking are as follows:

Slurring of speech.
Facial blanching.
Mood swings.
Problems with coordination.
Blurred perception.
Nausea to the point of vomiting.

Average degree of alcohol intoxication

Third level

This is the most dangerous period for the human body. Being in such a stage of intoxication, a person greatly risks his health. For a severe degree of alcohol intoxication, the ethanol level is 2.5-4 ppm. This concentration of alcohol causes the following manifestations:

Difficulty breathing.
Constriction of the pupils of the eyes.
Immune to pain.
Lack of response to external stimuli.

Severe degree of alcohol intoxication

The danger of such a condition lies in the fact that a person may experience paralysis of the respiratory center or cardiac arrest. The result is the death of a person from intoxication.

Why does alcohol poisoning happen?

Very often, alcohol intoxication occurs as a result of the consumption of surrogate, low-quality alcohol or liquid that is not suitable for ingestion. This distinguishes chronic alcoholics, who can take any drug containing alcohol, which often turns out to be poisonous.

The consumption of an alcoholic substitute increases the severity of intoxication many times over, and complicates the manifestation of symptoms.

The main causes of alcoholism

A person receives fatal poisoning from the presence of ethyl and methyl alcohol in surrogates. Methanol is especially dangerous, which, once in the body, begins to actively synthesize toxic toxins, leading to global intoxication. The first signs of poisoning are:

sudden headache;
severe nausea with profuse vomiting;
strong pulsation in the temporal region;
cutting soreness in the region of the peritoneum.

In this case, you should immediately call the ambulance team, delaying help is fraught with life-threatening consequences. It is strictly forbidden to try to organize self-treatment. Uncontrolled and regular consumption of alcohol is a serious problem for the entire modern society, and this problem affects all segments of the population.

The consequences of alcohol abuse are extremely severe for all aspects of human existence. Physical and mental health suffers, socialization is disturbed.

Features of alcoholism

But why do strong, full of strength and vivacity people suddenly turn into degraded alcoholics? For the most part, the first taste of alcohol occurs surrounded by friends or at a common table of relatives in adolescence. A person quickly gets used to celebrating all joyful events, pouring a glass of alcohol during stress or sadness. Narcologists classify three types of alcohol dependence:

Male.
Female.
Teenage.

Imperceptibly, a mental dependence appears, which quickly forms a physical one. At this stage, a person can no longer exist without alcohol, and the absence of a favorite alcoholic drink causes a strong and painful withdrawal syndrome.

How alcohol withdrawal syndrome manifests itself

Norm of alcohol consumption

Many people wonder: "What is excessive drinking, it's how much alcohol you need to take." According to WHO experts, it is considered that a moderate (permissible) alcoholic dose includes one serving of an alcohol-containing drink per day, that is:

For women:

vodka: 30 ml;
wine: 150 ml;
beer: 330 ml.

For men:

vodka: 50 ml;
wine: 250 ml;
beer: 500 ml.

Excessive consumption is the excess of the maximum permissible dose and consumption of:

For women: from 3 servings per day or 7 doses per week.
For men: 4 servings per day or 14 doses per week.

The claim that small doses of alcohol are good for health is false.

The Ministry of Health also warns that certain categories of citizens are generally prohibited from drinking alcohol, even in a minimal amount. These are the following people:

drivers;
pregnant and lactating women;
persons allergic to ethanol;
suffering from mental illness.

Also, doctors do not share the strong opinion that alcohol in a minimal dose can benefit the body by activating the immune system. Doctors say that even a small level of ethanol increases the possibility of developing various pathologies. But the consequences of uncontrolled and regular drinking are much worse.

Physical health and alcohol

Alcohol causes harm literally from the first minute of consumption. How severe the consequences of drinking will be depends on the natural protective function of the body. When the forces of the body are exhausted, the person ceases to perceive the symptoms of poisoning. Instead, a persistent addiction is formed.

Natural protection against alcohol is individual for each person. It is for this reason that some drink much faster, while others take decades to turn into an alcoholic.

The physical consequences of alcohol abuse are the development of numerous pathologies. These diseases pose a direct threat to human life:

hepatitis;
cirrhosis of the liver;
diabetes;
heart problems;
oncological processes;
kidney failure.

The first organ to be destroyed is the liver. After all, it is she who is responsible for neutralizing the toxins that enter the human body with food. When splitting, ethanol produces a toxic compound - acetaldehyde. When this toxin becomes too much, the liver ceases to cope with its task, leading to global intoxication.

The liver is the first organ to be destroyed by ethanol.

If alcohol consumption becomes systematic, mass destruction of hepatocides (liver cells) begins. For some time, the liver can still be resuscitated and returned to a healthy state. But in the absence of competent treatment, cirrhosis begins, leading a person to death..

Sudden, periodic sharp pain in the area of the right side testifies to liver damage. In this case, you should immediately visit a doctor.

Mental health and alcohol

When the level of ethanol exceeds all permissible levels, not only the physical, but also the mental health of the individual is destroyed. Narcologists, considering exactly how alcohol affects the body, distinguish two reasons, due to which the result is problems in the psyche:

Destruction of protein compounds. Ethanol, once in the blood, provokes the destruction of the layers between the proteins. As a result, the supply of oxygen to the parts of the brain is significantly reduced, which leads to blockage of neural channels and death of brain cells.
Ethyl alcohol also increases the production of dopamine and leads to a sharp narrowing of blood vessels. This explains the strangeness in the behavior of an intoxicated person.

Regularly drinking individuals gradually lose their human appearance. After all, people who are in such a state, moral principles disappear, spiritual values are forgotten. The person begins to gradually degrade.

Social life and alcohol

Excessive consumption of alcohol leaves an imprint on the social sphere of a person's existence. When alcohol consumption becomes a habitual part of a person's life, becoming a priority, all other needs gradually disappear. Important life responsibilities disappear, such as:

personal care;
work, career;
caring for loved ones;
family relationships.

Over time, work colleagues and superiors will find out about the passion for alcohol. Almost always this is followed by dismissal, no one wants to entrust any business to a person for whom alcohol has become the main thing in life. After all, relying on an alcoholic is simply impossible.

Gradually, friends turn away from the addict, and the environment of the drinker begins to consist of the same degraded personalities. This further immerses the drinker to the bottom of life. Family structures are also being destroyed. There comes a moment when close people, tired of a constantly drunk relative, cut off all contacts with him, wives leave, children turn away.

The whole trouble and difficulty of the situation lies in the fact that it is very difficult to cure alcoholism. Of particular difficulty is the drinking person herself, who does not perceive the presence of such a disease. In the end, the drunkard is left completely alone and dissolves into a drunken pool.

The consequences of alcohol addiction are terrible and inevitable. Therefore, it is so important to stop the developing craving for drinking in time and help a person at an early stage in the development of a deadly addiction.

Holidays and meetings are accompanied by the intake of alcohol, which has a devastating effect on the body. The packaging says that excessive alcohol consumption is harmful to your health, but the information is misleading. As a refutation, examples are given with drinking relatives, and the concept of the norm is conditional. For alcoholics, it reaches several bottles of beer or a liter of vodka per day; for other people, this portion will cause withdrawal symptoms.

What is considered overuse

On containers with alcoholic beverages, they warn about the dangers of alcohol when it is consumed excessively. However, no exact figures are reported, which leads to various myths. There are theories about the benefits of moderate drinking, which improves appetite and boosts immunity. Long-term observations have shown the inconsistency of this theory. Especially dangerous is the excessive consumption of beer. Due to the low alcohol content, a person easily exceeds the allowable dosage, which leads to the formation of a persistent beer addiction.

Experts refer to excessive alcohol consumption as taking more than 3 servings per day for women and 4 servings for men. One serving equals 30 ml of vodka, 150 ml of wine or 330 ml of beer for women. Men are allowed to drink 50 ml of vodka, 250 ml of wine or 0.5 liters of beer. Limits may increase or decrease depending on general health, age, body weight, and individual response to ethanol. Also, weekly servings of 7 doses for women and 14 for men should not be exceeded.

Terrifying statistics

Alcohol, in its destructive capabilities, competes with drugs. From the consequences of alcohol intake, 4% of deaths in the world occur, which is 22.5 million people. Almost half of the deaths are caused by cirrhosis of the liver and intoxication. A quarter is accounted for by accidents and various types of injuries. One fifth of the dead died from pathologies of the cardiovascular system. One tenth or two million people commit suicide because of a depressive psychological state.

The statistics for Russia are depressing: more than half of alcoholics are young people aged 24-30. The total number of addicts reaches 20 million and their number is increasing every year. The strength of drinks and the degree of aggressiveness of patients increase, so 80% of murders are committed while intoxicated. People die in domestic fights, in a showdown or in an accident with drunk drivers.

Stages of alcohol intoxication

At the initial stage, the disease manifests itself weakly, a person skillfully controls his behavior. Then changes begin in the body at the psychological and physiological level. Experts distinguish three stages of intoxication: mild, moderate and severe. The speed of transition from one degree to another is influenced by numerous factors:

age;
gender;
hereditary predisposition;
general health;
individual physiological characteristics;
duration of alcohol intake.

At first, a person tries to justify drinking alcohol, to find a reason for a feast. As addiction progresses, the requirements for the quality of the drink, the surrounding company and one's own behavior are reduced. Depending on the degree of changes in the functioning of the nervous system and in the functioning of internal organs, doctors determine the stage of alcoholism. After that, you can build a treatment strategy if the person himself is aware of the problem.

Easy stage

The first degree is manifested in psychological dependence, in the desire to drink to cheer up. A person is looking for reasons to drink alcohol, after which he experiences a state of euphoria. Bans go away, sociability and emancipation appear. The following signs of violations are observed:

Slight redness of the skin, especially the face.
Rapid breathing.
Difficulties with coordination.
Decreased visual acuity.

Movements become inaccurate, vague, which leads to a decrease in the reaction rate. A person wants to prove himself, show his own significance. Such changes become especially dangerous for drivers who make risky maneuvers.

Drinkers have been at this stage for several years, and portions of alcohol are minimal. If you stop in time, there will be no disturbances in the functioning of internal organs.

middle stage

When the concentration in the blood reaches 2 ppm, the middle stage of intoxication begins. Instead of friendliness and sociability, a negative attitude towards others appears, gradually reaching aggressiveness. The speech of the drunk is difficult to make out, the skin becomes pale, and problems with coordination increase.

Reality appears in a distorted form, so all family ties fade into the background. Any remark that would normally go unnoticed can provoke a fit of rage. The body tries to cleanse itself with the help of nausea and vomiting, and lethargy and drowsiness come to replace aggressiveness.

In the second stage, a person usually stays for 3–5 years, and physiological dependence is added to psychological dependence. Without alcohol, the patient develops a feeling of fear, discomfort and insecurity. The mood changes from euphoria to complete apathy, and control over the amount drunk is lost. Even large portions of ethyl-containing liquids do not cause a hangover.

Third stage

The third degree of intoxication is considered the most severe. Tolerance to ethanol decreases, even small portions lead to vomiting. The risk of severe poisoning increases, which causes coma, respiratory arrest and death. The following symptoms allow you to determine the transition:

insensitivity to external stimuli;
constriction of the pupils;
respiratory failure.

At the last stage, irreversible changes develop in the liver, urinary and digestive systems. There is a replacement of hepatocytes with scar tissues, so any portion of alcohol is dangerous. Due to prolonged oxygen starvation, the likelihood of a stroke increases, and the lack of brain nutrition causes dementia.

Why does alcohol poisoning happen?

Ethanol is a substance that is not involved in metabolic processes, so the body does not need it. The internal organs try to get rid of toxins, but at high doses they cannot cope with the task. The peculiarity of ethyl is in its rapid and complete assimilation, which begins in the oral cavity. Then 20% is absorbed in the stomach, and the remaining amount is carried through the general bloodstream.

Alcohol molecules are highly soluble in water, so they go to areas rich in moisture. The brain cells that are left without food for a long time are the first to be hit. There is a violation of connections, which causes memory lapses and dementia. The liver processes toxins, but with an excess intake of ethyl alcohol, it does not have time to break them down to acetic acid. Severe intoxication occurs, which, without medical assistance, ends in death.

The use of cheap alcohol and a surrogate leads to intoxication. Dangerous is methanol poisoning, which in a short time leads to the production of a huge portion of toxins.

If a person immediately has a headache with a throbbing in the temples, nausea with vomiting and cutting colic in the abdominal cavity after drinking, an ambulance should be called. Such symptoms may indicate methanol poisoning, which cannot be saved at home.

Alcoholism

Conventionally, all the causes of the development of alcoholism are divided into 3 large groups: physiological, psychological and social. Most often, the cause of the disease is a combination of several provoking factors at once.

Physiological causes include head trauma and hereditary predisposition. Children of alcoholics have an increased sensitivity to ethanol, so the use of alcohol in any portions leads to the formation of dependence.

The first portions of alcohol are tried too early, in the family circle. Over time, the habit of celebrating all events with alcohol is fixed, psychological dependence arises. Complexes, low self-esteem and depression lead to frequent binges. Sometimes the reason is a provocation from acquaintances, friends or relatives.

An important role is played by social factors, teenagers start drinking to maintain the company. They are trying to show their independence, to raise prestige in the eyes of their peers. If they are not stopped in time, the disease progresses rapidly. Adults drink too much because of loneliness, lack of support and dissatisfaction with social status.

The most dangerous is excessive drinking on holidays and complete abstinence at other times. One-time increased loads lead to negative consequences on the part of the nervous system, digestive organs and other systems. There is alcoholism, which is rapidly progressing.

Norm of alcohol consumption

There are certain norms for drinking alcohol, which are 30 ml of pure alcohol for women and 40 ml for men. This portion is contained in a small shot of vodka or 3 glasses of wine. Stretch the portion should be for the whole holiday to reduce the burden on the liver and kidneys.

Small doses of alcohol with frequent use cause great harm to internal organs. The functioning of the nervous system is disrupted, vascular thrombosis and the risk of premature death occur.

It is impossible to drink 2-3 glasses of wine daily, as alcoholism will quickly develop. If it is impossible to completely give up alcohol, it is necessary to reduce the frequency of drinking to 2-3 times a week. Quality drinks should be chosen, and non-alcoholic wine becomes an ideal alternative.

For pregnant and lactating women, drivers, people with allergies and mental illness, any servings of alcohol are contraindicated. A driver under the influence of alcohol loses concentration, and pregnant women put their unborn child at risk. Children born to such mothers have FAS syndrome.

Impact on physical health

Alcohol causes significant damage to physical health. The first signs are ignored, and as alcoholism develops, the dangerous symptoms disappear. Due to physiological characteristics, ethanol affects people in different ways, but most often patients experience the following pathologies:

hepatitis;
cirrhosis;
diabetes;
stroke;
heart attack;
kidney failure;

The breakdown product of ethanol is acetaldehyde, which the liver decomposes to safe compounds. When too much alcohol is taken in at one time, the overloaded organ cannot cope, which causes general intoxication. With alcoholism, the liver undergoes a gradual degeneration, when hepatocytes are replaced by scar tissue. Such an organ cannot function for a long time, which causes the death of the patient.

Influence on the psyche

Ethanol has an effect on the human psyche. Due to ethyl, protein compounds are destroyed, which leads to oxygen starvation of the brain. Neural connections are broken, cell death occurs. In chronic alcoholism, a significant decrease in brain mass and negative changes in the behavior of patients are observed.

Increased production of dopamine under the influence of ethyl leads to an improvement in mood. People are excited, joyful and sociable. After the withdrawal of the drink, joy is replaced by depression, the person becomes aggressive. In the absence of an additional portion of alcohol, alcoholics break down on others.

Impact on social life

The development of dependence leads to a complete rejection of social values. A person is not interested in work, career, friends and caring for his own body. He takes on a sloppy look, the main interest is the production of booze. As soon as the addiction becomes known at work, the patient is fired.

When attempts to cure a relative fail, the wife and children leave the alcoholic, friends turn away. The usual social circle is rapidly changing to degraded individuals who are only interested in the extraction of alcohol-containing mixtures. At this stage, it is difficult to socialize and cure the addict, as the patient does not recognize the existence of a problem.

Alcoholism is a serious disease that destroys lives and quickly leads to death. It needs to be warned, to carry out preventive measures, and not to advertise alcohol. Mass acquaintance of society with the problem and illustrative examples will reduce the percentage of addicts and return people to normal life.

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Excessive alcohol consumption is harmful to your health!

Most do not know what "excessive drinking" means.

“Excessive alcohol consumption is injurious to health!”- so say doctors, as well as manufacturers of alcoholic beverages, trying to promote this idea on packages, however, as it turned out, not everyone knows what "excessive consumption" is.

Recent studies in Sweden have shown that 94-97 percent of respondents do not know where the line is between reasonable and unreasonable drinking, and when alcohol begins to harm health.

“By and large, people know how much they drink on average, and they can name these numbers., - He speaks Thomas Babor, medical and health care specialist from University of Connecticut School of Medicine. “The only thing that not everyone knows is how much alcohol is harmful to health.”

The new studies, which were conducted in the US, involved 3,200 people who were asked about how much they drink and what they know about excessive drinking.

How much alcohol harms your health?

According to US Department of Health and Human Services moderate alcohol consumption is one drink per day (a bottle of beer, a glass of wine or a glass of vodka) for women and two drinks for men. Overconsumption is more than three servings per day or seven per week for women. For men, more than four servings per day and fourteen servings per week. The ministry warns that some people should abstain from alcohol altogether: drivers, pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and those who cannot control their drinking.

Babor explains that going beyond the restrictions is associated with the appearance of various problems, increases the risk of developing cancer and cirrhosis of the liver. Although some studies have shown that alcohol in moderation is beneficial, some doctors still insist that alcohol, even in moderation, increases the risk of breast cancer, as well as fractures, injuries and car accidents.

Why don't we know about restrictions?

Babor believes this may be due to the fact that often people are shown in the media drinking more than they should without hinting at excessive drinking.

The Swedish researchers are also very disappointed that the public health system often bypasses the problem of drunkenness. For example, studies have shown that only 15 percent of Swedes are asked about drinking by their doctors. Babor optimistically believes that doctors could help educate the masses about what “excessive drinking” means and what it actually threatens. He also believes that a number of measures can be taken to also let the population understand what this means.

“In countries like the UK, there have already been campaigns through the media to educate the public about what moderate and excessive drinking means. - he said. - For example, dangerous doses of alcohol were warned in the menus of restaurants and bars.. He also believes that such information should appear in the form of alcohol anti-advertising.

Excessive alcohol consumption is harmful to your health

The Ministry of Health warns: excessive alcohol consumption is harmful to your health! Who among us has not seen this inscription? However, what does it mean? Is it true that alcohol is only harmful in large quantities? Can I drink, and how much alcohol is safe for health? What do we know about alcoholism, and what interesting facts and arguments can we bring against the latter? What inscription on the label can protect people from alcohol?

Is it possible to drink alcohol in small doses

Those of us who, for one reason or another, cannot part with alcohol should remember that alcohol is harmful to health in any doses and this statement is confirmed by the following interesting facts about the dangers of drunkenness.

Firstly, despite the fact that there is an optimal dose of alcohol that can be processed by the body without problems, according to WHO, it is about 40 grams of alcohol per day for men and about 30 grams per day for women. Moreover, this rule is true only for people with ideal health and weight in excess of 70 kg. In people with heart problems, suffering from hypertension, kidney and liver diseases, drinking alcohol, even in isolated cases, will aggravate the course of the disease. Thus, it is absolutely impossible for sick people to drink.
Secondly, even if a person was able to calculate the amount of alcohol that is safe for himself, regular consumption of it will not go unnoticed - the harm from drinking will be enormous. This is due to the fact that the breakdown products of alcohol are the strongest toxin for the body. And, of course, getting into the body every day, they lead to irreversible changes in organs and tissues.
Thirdly, WHO studies have found that the systematic use of even a small dose of alcohol leads to addiction and, accordingly, an increase in the amount of alcohol drunk at a time. Thus, 100 grams, drunk at dinner, eventually transform into 200, 300, etc. - the person begins to drink more and more.
Fourthly, the systematic use of alcohol after a certain amount of time leads to the formation of a stable addiction. So, according to experts, WHO, alcoholism can develop after six months of drinking strong drinks in an amount exceeding 150 ml weekly.
Fifth, alcohol has a detrimental effect on the reproductive function of both women and men, due to changes in hormonal levels. In men, such changes lead to the loss of sexual power and the emergence of female-type obesity. In women, the menstrual cycle is disrupted and the ability to conceive, bear and give birth to a healthy child is reduced to zero. Moreover, the probability of having a baby with pathologies in drinking people increases significantly.

That is why the answer to the question of whether alcohol is harmful is unambiguous. Alcohol causes irreparable harm to the human body. And, of course, the more alcohol a person consumes, the greater changes in his body occur.

Interesting facts and arguments against alcoholism

Kolesov was categorical about the dangers of drunkenness. According to D.V. Kolesov, Academician of the Russian Academy of Education, Doctor of Medical Sciences, alcohol has a negative impact not only on the body, but also on the soul of a person, subordinating his actions, desires, thoughts and feelings to the desire for alcohol, depriving him of any prospects and poisoning his existence.

Thus, alcohol harms on a large scale - alcohol abuse leads not only to the appearance of various pathologies, but also leaves its mark on everything that connects an alcoholic with the outside world.

This is explained by the fact that before destroying the liver or stomach, alcohol affects the human psyche, destroying his soul. If alcohol affected only the body, then how can crimes committed while intoxicated, accidents and traffic accidents involving persons in a similar state, family breakups due to drunkenness, etc. be explained.

Our regular reader shared an effective method that saved her husband from ALCOHOLISM. It seemed that nothing would help, there were several codings, treatment at the dispensary, nothing helped. An effective method recommended by Elena Malysheva helped. ACTIVE METHOD

The fact is that alcohol harms a person, leads to the loss of socially significant qualities, and makes it dangerous for other people.

Indeed, the more a person begins to drink, the more he falls out of his environment, moving away from the people around him. The interests of such a person begin to differ from the interests of most people. Moreover, the further the disease goes, the more these interests begin to contradict them. And no arguments about the dangers of drunkenness can convince him.

The beliefs and views of a person who abuses alcohol are filled with alcohol content, which leads to their distortion and deformation. The former social ties do not remain, moreover, they are replaced by new ones, which differ in a lower level both in content and in the social status of the people with whom a person began to communicate.

Close people become unnecessary to an alcoholic - wife, children, parents fade into the background, and their place is taken by drinking companions and alcohol. At the same time, respect for the honor and dignity of other people, including those closest to them, is lost.

There comes a psychosocial degradation of a person, which does not allow a person to stop drinking and leads to death from drunkenness. And the more an alcoholic drinks, the more he degrades.

There is no cure for alcoholism.

Tried many ways but nothing helps?
Another coding turned out to be ineffective?
Is alcohol destroying your family?

The appearance of the inscription “Alcohol kills” on bottles with alcohol was supported by the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS). This is stated in the response to the parliamentary bill. The document, signed by the deputy head of the service, Alexei Dotsenko, is at the disposal of Izvestia. A frightening inscription should be the same for all manufacturers. Today they warn about the dangers of excessive drinking, but there are no clear requirements for the text. Experts note that a greater effect can be achieved if the inscription is accompanied by a frightening picture, but the FAS considers this measure unnecessary.

Do not open - will kill

The parliamentary bill, which implies the appearance of the inscription “Alcohol kills” on the labels of bottles of alcohol, was submitted to the State Duma in October this year. Izvestia got acquainted with the FAS response to this document.

It says that the introduction of a uniform procedure for displaying information about the dangers of alcoholic products will not have an additional burden on alcohol producers. The document was signed by Deputy Head of the FAS Alexei Dotsenko. On November 23, the papers were sent to the Ministry of Health, which is responsible for developing a draft government response to the proposals of parliamentarians.

A group of deputies led by Vladimir Sysoev (LDPR) proposed amending Art. 11 and 16 of the law "On state regulation of the production and circulation of ethyl alcohol ..." (171-FZ).

Now manufacturers are required to inform consumers about the dangers of immoderate libations. The choice of a specific phrase remains with the manufacturer. Typically, the label contains the following version of the warning: "Excessive alcohol consumption is harmful to your health."

In addition to an additional inscription, the deputies proposed placing frightening pictures on the labels. The new inscription and images must be placed in a black frame, follows from the bill. Its total area should occupy at least 50% of the entire label. The deputies also proposed to ban the open display of alcohol on store shelves, in which case only a list of drinks can be available to consumers. Today, the same rules apply to tobacco products.

The FAS believes that supplementing text messages with pictures showing the possible consequences of alcohol abuse is redundant. “Earlier, this measure has already been introduced in relation to tobacco products, while evidence of its effectiveness has not yet been presented,” the document says.

The service also did not support the prohibition of open display of alcoholic products on the shelves, as this would increase the burden on the business.

The Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Industry and Trade did not respond to Izvestia's request. The press service of the Ministry of Economic Development said that the department had no suggestions and comments regarding the labeling of products.

Pictures are scarier

The introduction of a single warning label on the labels of bottles, especially with spirits, deserves support, Viktor Zykov, executive director of the Council for Public Health and Demographics, told Izvestia. Although, according to him, it will be less effective if it consists only of text.

Based on the results of applying warnings to tobacco products, we can say that warnings in the form of images that include text are the most effective, the expert noted. - It increases the chances of information perception by people.

He is confident that this measure, along with others, has made a significant contribution to reducing tobacco consumption among both adults and adolescents. If back in 2004 cigarettes were smoked by 25.4% of adolescents aged 13–15, in recent years this figure has been 9.3%.

Here, the element of deglamorization of products through the placement of warnings plays an important role, which repels modern youth from buying, - Viktor Zykov emphasized.

The expert added that the warnings on the labels will help to inform each buyer in advance about the consequences of alcohol consumption. Perhaps someone will take a break and think, or even refuse to buy or at least abuse alcohol.

Oleg Zykov, director of the Institute of Narcological Health of the Nation, explained to Izvestia that the inscriptions on the labels would not be effective as a fight against alcohol consumption. Traditionally for Russia, alcohol is a means of dealing with stress. Therefore, it is more logical to choose other tactics to achieve the result, the expert is sure.

However, according to Vadim Drobiz, head of the Center for Research on Federal and Regional Alcohol Markets, mostly “terrible” pictures on tobacco packs do not scare away consumers, they continue to smoke. Therefore, the additional inscription on the labels of alcohol bottles will not confuse them at all, he believes.

As Izvestia wrote, it was proposed to supply alcoholic products with photographs of internal organs affected by alcohol. For example, brain, heart or liver. In world practice, frightening pictures on alcoholic beverages are not used. Today, at least 20% of the label or counter-label is allocated for a warning label that excessive drinking is harmful to health. Also on alcohol there is a reminder that alcoholic beverages should not be consumed by pregnant women, people with a disease of the nervous system, and so on.

Under the government, he proposed to limit the number of shops with alcohol and tobacco, depending on the population of the region and its area. According to experts, the number of such retail outlets in Russia could be reduced by 2.5 times - to about 50 stores per 100,000 people.

On the labels of alcohol bottles, images may appear that inform about the dangers of alcohol.

Specialists of the Ministry of Health are now evaluating the prospects for adopting this measure, in the future it may be included in the Strategy for the formation of a healthy lifestyle of the population until 2025. This was reported to Izvestia in the press service of the department. In world practice, frightening pictures on alcoholic beverages are not used. Although they can play a role in informing the public about the dangers of strong drinks, experts say.

The fact that the Ministry of Health may introduce new restrictive measures designed to reduce the consumption of alcoholic products, Izvestia was told in the press service of the department. This includes the appearance of demotivators on bottles of alcohol - pictures that will inform citizens about the dangers of excessive alcohol consumption. In the future, a paragraph about pictures can be added to the Strategy for the formation of a healthy lifestyle.

“Currently, this issue is being worked out,” the ministry’s press service said, noting that the Ministry of Health is discussing additional measures aimed at limiting the consumption of alcoholic beverages. But it is “premature for the time being” to give any specific comments, the press service of the ministry stressed.

“The purpose of this measure is to show people the consequences of excessive drinking. To inform the population that alcohol is associated not only with joy, but also with severe social consequences," a source in the department explained. - For example, with the commission of criminal acts, serious injuries. Therefore, such pictures may contain episodes of a social orientation.

Since 2013, manufacturers have been required to place a warning label on alcohol bottles stating that excessive drinking is injurious to health. At least 20% of the label or counter label is allocated to it. Also on alcohol there is a reminder that alcoholic beverages should not be consumed by pregnant women, people with diseases of the nervous system, and so on.

Daria Khalturina, a representative of the Central Research Institute of Organization and Informatization of Healthcare of the Ministry of Health, noted that warning images on cigarette packs have worked well as a preventive measure.

- Therefore, a similar measure for alcohol is considered as promising. This is an interesting task that requires research and new approaches,” she said. “After all, alcohol consumption creates more social problems than tobacco consumption. Therefore, warnings should be more varied.

According to the expert, the placement of such images is not yet widespread in world practice. Although in the UK there is a symbolic image of a crossed-out pregnant woman with a glass of alcohol on bottles of alcohol.

Vadim Drobiz, head of the Center for Research on Federal and Regional Alcohol Markets, believes that the innovation will not affect consumers in any way.

“Until now, the restrictive measures introduced have not had a significant impact on alcohol consumption by adults,” he said.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade was unable to assess the consequences of the appearance of frightening images on bottles of alcohol. The Ministry of Economic Development did not respond to Izvestia's request.

Previously, Sober Russia insisted that photographs of internal organs affected by alcohol should be placed on alcohol. For example, brain, heart or liver. According to the author of the idea and the head of the organization, Sultan Khamzaev, this will serve as an incentive for citizens to take better care of their health.