Alcohol-free Omnogovi program launches

Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/ Southern Omnogobi province administration has recently announced a program to reduce consumption of alcoholic beverages in the area, commencing from this month. The program is expected to be carried out until 2016, with a series of activities aimed at less alcohol selling shops, more awareness promoting among residents, as well as proper law enforcement about alcoholism in the province. Before passing the program at the Citizens Representatives Khural of the province, local authorities have conducted a survey to determine alcohol consumption levels among residents. According to that survey, a 53.9% of 1,183 participants drink too much amid parties and festive occasions, a 4.3% of them admitted regular excessive drinking, while a 41% drink ‘moderate’ amount of alcohol. A 48% of the surveyed think poverty, unemployment, moral decay and other social phenomena lead to alcoholism, while a 28.1% of them accused the mushrooming number of alcohol selling shops in the area of promoting alcoholism among young and unemployed people. Prior to this program, neighboring Dundgovi province announced an alcohol-free campaign in the province that is to take place from April to May. During one month’s time, campaigners organized a series of activities including workshops and sports events in the province to promote alcohol-free life style. The main mission of the campaign was continuity of residents’ abstinence from alcohol. Another example of alcohol abuse combating movements in communities is Dornogovi Governor P.Gankhuyag’s efforts to freeze vodka production in his province. Last April, the province administration sent a letter to Industry and Agriculture Minister Kh.Battulga, appealing to cancel licenses of alcoholic beverage production granted to two local manufacturers--Dornyn Govi LLC and Business Shand LLC--and not to allot any new licenses to the provincial producers. This action of the province leader supported an earlier initiative of the President Ts.Elbegdorj and set a fine example of ongoing alcohol abstinence movements in communities. A report by the UN's World Health Organization (WHO) notes that alcohol abuse could be Mongolia's biggest stumbling block to economic and social progress. A 2006's survey carried out by Mongolia's Ministry of Health and WHO found that 22 percent of Mongolian men and 5 percent of women are dependent on alcohol, rates three times higher than in Europe. Almost one in five Mongolian men binge drinks on a weekly basis. One reason for the high level of alcoholism is the sheer availability of alcohol. Mongolia has one shop selling alcohol for every 270 people. Most of supermarkets have an aisle dedicated to vodka, sometimes with more than 25 types of vodka alone.