Researchers blame Russian drinking on $3 vodka

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Researchers and activists on Tuesday warned that low taxes on vodka — which are three times less than in the Baltic states — have encouraged heavy drinking among Russians, cutting their average life expectancy by 10 years.

The government-approved minimum retail price for a half-liter bottle of vodka is currently 89 rubles ($3), considerably lower than in Europe, and about two-thirds of deaths in car accidents in Russia are alcohol-related.

Full story: Researchers blame Russian drinking on $3 vodka – BusinessWeek