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Putin calls for vodka price freeze

The state-mandated minimum price of vodka has risen 30 percent since 2013.

By Ben Hooper
Russian President Vladimir Putin at the 2014 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation CEO Summit in Beijing Nov. 10, 2014. File Photo by Luo Xiaoguang/UPI/Pool
Russian President Vladimir Putin at the 2014 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation CEO Summit in Beijing Nov. 10, 2014. File Photo by Luo Xiaoguang/UPI/Pool | License Photo

MOSCOW, Dec. 25 (UPI) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin called for a price cap on vodka to avoid boosting the market for potentially dangerous bootleg alcohol.

Putin said at a Tuesday meeting with government officials and regional governors a freeze on vodka prices would help avoid a spike in the popularity of illegal spirits that could carry greater health risks than regulated vodka.

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The president said he previously discussed the issue with Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and he called on "relevant agencies" to give consideration to a vodka price cap.

The current state-mandated minimum price for a half-liter of vodka, about 17 ounces, currently stands at $4.12, a 30 percent increase over the price in 2013.

The Russian ruble has lost value recently, due in part to Western sanctions and the falling price of oil.

A study published in January suggests about 25 percent of Russian men die before the age of 55, and a majority of the deaths have alcohol-related causes such as liver disease and alcohol poisoning.

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