Self-reported changes in alcohol and tobacco use during COVID-19: findings from the eastern part of WHO European Region.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic might impact substance use behaviours around the globe. In this study, we investigate changes in alcohol and tobacco use in the second half of 2020 in countries of the eastern part of the WHO European Region. METHODS: Self-reported changes in alcohol and tobacco use among 11 295 adults from 18 countries in the eastern part of the WHO European Region were collected between August 2020 and January 2021. The non-probabilistic sample was weighted for age, gender and education. For each country, proportions of respondents reporting a decrease, no change or increase in substance use over the past 3 months were examined, and multinomial regression models were used to test associations with age, gender and past-year alcohol use. RESULTS: In most countries, about half of the respondents indicating past-year alcohol or tobacco use reported no change in their substance use. Of those alcohol users who reported changes in their alcohol use, a larger proportion reported a decrease than an increase in most countries. The opposite was true for tobacco use. Women, young adults and past-year harmful alcohol users were identified as being more likely to change their substance use behaviour. CONCLUSION: We found diverging overall trends for alcohol and tobacco use in the second half of 2020. The patterns of change vary according to age, gender and past-year substance use. Individuals at risk to increase their substance use during the COVID-19 pandemic require most policy considerations.

Alcohol control policies in Former Soviet Union countries: A narrative review of three decades of policy changes and their apparent effects.

ISSUES: The last Soviet anti-alcohol campaign of 1985 resulted in considerably reduced alcohol consumption and saved thousands of lives. But once the campaign's policies were abandoned and the Soviet alcohol monopoly broken up, a steep rise in mortality was observed in many of the newly formed successor countries, although some kept their monopolies. Almost 30 years after the campaign's end, the region faces diverse challenges in relation to alcohol. APPROACH: The present narrative review sheds light on recent drinking trends and alcohol policy developments in the 15 Former Soviet Union (FSU) countries, highlighting the most important setbacks, achievements and best practices. Vignettes of alcohol control policies in Belarus, Estonia, Kazakhstan, Lithuania and Uzbekistan are presented to illustrate the recent developments. KEY FINDINGS: Over the past decade, drinking levels have declined in almost all FSU countries, paralleled by the introduction of various alcohol-control measures. The so-called three 'best buys' put forward by the World Health Organization to reduce alcohol-attributable burden (taxation and other measures to increase price, restrictions on alcohol availability and marketing) are relatively well implemented across the countries. IMPLICATIONS: In recent years, evidence-based alcohol policies have been actively implemented as a response to the enormous alcohol-attributable burden in many of the countries, although there is big variance across and within different jurisdictions. CONCLUSION: Strong declines in alcohol consumption were observed in the 15 FSU countries, which have introduced various alcohol control measures in recent years, resulting in a reduction of alcohol consumption in the World Health Organization European region overall.

Alcohol control policies and mortality trends in Belarus.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Belarus is among the countries that have very high alcohol consumption levels, and that suffer from a huge burden of excessive drinking. This paper aims to explore the peculiarities of the alcohol control policies implemented in Belarus, and to link these policies to the trends in alcohol consumption and mortality. DATA AND METHODS: Our narrative review of alcohol policies and anti-alcohol measures is based on the laws, directives and other official documents issued by Belarusian authorities since the early 1990s. The data on alcohol consumption and other relevant variables originate from official statistical books. Our analysis of mortality trends is based upon official statistical tables by causes of death. RESULTS: Despite the large number of government policy initiatives that authorities claimed were controlling the problem, alcohol consumption in Belarus grew rapidly up to 2010, when it reached the highest level in the world. This negative trend can be largely attributed to inconsistent alcohol control policies. In particular, the implementation of excise taxes encouraged the manufacturing of inexpensive fortified fruit wines. Additionally, measures designed to raise the price of alcohol were inadequate, resulting in strong alcoholic drinks (e.g. vodka) becoming more affordable. However, the third anti-alcohol campaign, which was launched in 2011, led to declines in both alcohol consumption and alcohol-related mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Belarus has acquired the experience and the legislative foundation needed to implement effective alcohol control polices. To further reduce alcohol-related harm in Belarus, a steady and consistent long-term policy perspective is required.