News and Analysis

Staggering Statistics on Russia’s Health Crisis

Russian public health officials have released even more stunning statistics that reveal the seriousness of the nation’s crisis in health. According to Russian Public Health Association spokesman Andrei Demin, the average Russian drinks 50 bottles of vodka a year. In the last 15 years, 12 million Russians have died due to alcohol and smoking-related illnesses.

Russian Children Drinking at Younger Ages

Alchol abuse is epidemic across the CIS

Russian interior minister Rashid Nurgaliyev added to these shocking statistics with his own report. “The average age of people committing themselves to drinking alcohol has come down from 16 to 13 years. The total number of children aged 10-14 who drink alcoholic spirits (hard liquor) rose 15.4 percent in 2008 — to more than 10 million youth.” Mr. Nurgaliyev echoed Mr. Demin and the World Health Organization in saying that consumption of more than eight liters per year poses a real threat to the health of the nation, adding, “Russia has long exceeded that level.”

The average Russian man lives to only 60 years of age, dying 15 years earlier than his American counterpart, while Russian women die 13 years earlier than American women. Alcohol and cigarettes are relatively easy to obtain in Russia — too easy, according to health officials. A bottle of beer costs less on the street than a bottle of water, and a pack of cigarettes costs about 30 cents on average.

What the Church is Doing About It

Freed from substance abuse by the power of Christ, former addicts find what true peace and joy really is

The Russian evangelical churches SGA serves have long been concerned with the growing level of substance abuse in their country, and they take a strict abstinence stance on alcohol because of it. More and more churches are acting on their concern by launching alcohol and drug rehabilitation ministries as part of their overall community outreach. SGA partners have helped many of these ministries, and they show dramatically higher success rates than their secular counterparts. It is truly wonderful to see men, women and young people set free from lives of bondage to alcohol or drugs, and then becoming totally committed to Christ. Several who have come through the Bible-based programs have themselves gone on to work in rehab ministries. Please continue to pray for these outreaches, and for the resources to help the churches expand them. The need is enormous.