The mortality rate associated with alcohol abuse is high in Russia, as a recent research shows.

      For more than 10 years Russian and Western doctors have been conducting research on a selection of 151 000 adult dwellers of three cities in Western Siberia. The results have been published in Lancet.

      As the BBC reports, the scientists have come to the conclusion that 25 per cent of men in Russia die before the age of 55 years, whereas in Great Britain this rate is only 7 per cent. Alcoholic poisoning, liver diseases, as well as fights and accidents due to intoxication condition are frequent causes of death.

      Since taking antialcoholic measures in 2006 alcohol intake has decreased by one third and the rate of men dying before reaching 55 years of age has decreased from 37 to 25 percent.

      According to the researchers, in 2011 an adult average Russian consumed 13 litres of pure alcohol, 8 litres out of it accruing to strong spirits, mostly vodka. As for Great Britain, 10 litres fell to the share of an adult in the same year, but strong spirits made only 2 litres out of it.