The Russian Church representative criticizes “targeted” alcohol, especially ladies vodka

21 March 2008, 15:40

Moscow, March 21, Interfax – The Russian Orthodox Church considers new Damskaya (Lady's) vodka for women morally dubious.

“It’s a very dubious step from the moral point of view. Ads accustom youth to drinking bear, women - to ladies’ vodka, elders - to “healing balm” and so on. But if this step is taken, it shows that alcohol producers experience a crisis of demand,” Deputy Chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations Archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin said.

The interviewee of the agency believes the Russians have changed their attitude to strong alcoholic drinks.

“In the past plain-labeled vodka was extremely popular, people lined up to buy it and there was no need to promote it. People would drink vodka in governmental offices, in apartments of Soviet army and industry generals. People used to drink it in editorials, in the wings, in church lodges. They drank in the gutter, in sandlots, on the porches. People often drank and they drank much. You won’t see it today. Culture of drinking at work has almost disappeared, at least in Moscow, and it impetuously leaves home practice,” the priest noted.

People who drink vodka are also not frequent in restaurants today, Fr. Vsevolod said. According to him, it is a very joyful fact. “If our business and home culture is enthusiastic to say good-bye to vodka, then manufacturers won’t be a success in trying to reach tender women souls. The more so, I believe 80% of Russian women are negative about vodka,” the Church’s representative thinks.

He also reminded that one Russian company produced ladies vodka last year and it looked “very charmless.” “Luckily, I believe, the product wasn’t popular among women,” Fr. Vsevolod said.

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