Russians are drinking & smoking themselves 2 death. Alcohol responsible for 50% of deaths

[Liberal_in_LA]

Report: Alcohol Responsible for 50 Percent of Russian Deaths

Tuesday, August 11, 2009
By Dana Lewis

Russia is grappling with a major public health crisis in which residents are essentially drinking and smoking themselves to death, according to the country’s public health officials.

About a million Russians die each year from alcohol- and smoking-related causes -- between 600,000 and 700,000 of those deaths are attributed to drinking alone, Andrei Demin, of Russia’s Public Health Association, told Fox News.

“It’s threatening the future of the country,” he said.

The problem? Unlike other countries, Russia has refused to levy hefty taxes on cigarettes and alcohol to discourage drinking and smoking.

The resulting statistics are staggering:

— The average Russian drinks 50 bottles of vodka a year.

— A bottle of beer can be purchased on the street for less than the cost of a bottle of water.

— Twelve million of Russia’s 41 million residents have died over the past 15 years due to alcohol-and smoking-related causes.

— A pack of cigarettes can be purchased for about 30 cents.

— The average Russian male lives to be 60 years old, dying 15 years earlier than his American counterpart. Russian women die 13 years earlier than American women.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,538935,00.html

[Joanne98]

1. Kapitalism Kills.........

[TwixVoy]

2. I believe it... I know a Russian immigrant family

Every time I visit them it is non stop smoking and drinking.

[enid602]

3. Shock

Well, the alcohol lobby in Russia must not be very strong if the country's public health officials are allowed to attribute ill health to drinking alcohol. That would never fly in the States.

[conspirator]

4. Smoke! (Family guy) nt

[tridim]

5. The French drink and smoke a lot too, and they are healthier than Americans.

Of course they drink wine and have universal health care.

[Liberal_in_LA]

7. they sure do drink and smoke a lot!

[ccharles000]

6. k/r

[FarCenter]

8. According to CIA Factbook, the population of Russia is 140 million