'@txag70' alcohol consumption in USSR went as high as 10-14 liters per capita per year, that's x2-2.5 of US historical maximum. Measures taken during Gorbachev's term had, in fact, significant positive economic effect from improvements to productivity, life expectancy and overall health... Which was overshadowed by massive loss of budget income that depended on sales of alcohol. Rates of petty theft and assault were reduced, but organized crime and moonshining received a boost. Not as much as it happened in US, but some effect was there.
Also I think it was at that time opium became a significant but unacknowledged problem for USSR, to a point where entire "commune" of junkies could live in single apartment, regularly sending more functional members to places where poppy production (intentional or not) was concentrated.
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'@txag70' alcohol consumption in USSR went as high as 10-14 liters per capita per year, that's x2-2.5 of US historical maximum. Measures taken during Gorbachev's term had, in fact, significant positive economic effect from improvements to productivity, life expectancy and overall health... Which was overshadowed by massive loss of budget income that depended on sales of alcohol. Rates of petty theft and assault were reduced, but organized crime and moonshining received a boost. Not as much as it happened in US, but some effect was there.
Also I think it was at that time opium became a significant but unacknowledged problem for USSR, to a point where entire "commune" of junkies could live in single apartment, regularly sending more functional members to places where poppy production (intentional or not) was concentrated.