A "Sobriety Route" will appear in Novopolotsk

July 25, Vitebsk / Diana Kurilo - BELTA/. A "Sobriety Route" will soon appear in Novopolotsk. One of the proposals in the resolution of the delegates of the first city people's assembly, which focused on the prevention of drunkenness, concerned the broadcasting of audio lectures in public transport about the harm of alcohol and its dangers, said Vyacheslav Durnov, Deputy Chairman of the Novopolotsk City Executive Committee, to a BELTA correspondent.

Novopolotsk has reasons to be proud in the industrial and social sectors, but there is a problem that needs to be solved by everyone – it is drunkenness and the related crime. More than 55% of crimes and offenses in the city are committed while intoxicated, and a third of fires, as a rule, are caused by drunk citizens. In addition, drunkenness affects the demographic situation in Novopolotsk and causes immense human suffering. According to Vyacheslav Durnov, "the word 'fight' is not entirely appropriate for the topic of alcoholization and drunkenness; rather, it is a disease of society, and all concerned citizens must be involved in its treatment." Therefore, the authorities of Novopolotsk decided to develop a system of measures to counteract this harmful addiction with the help of citizens and convened the first city people's assembly.

Representatives of labor collectives of enterprises, institutions, organizations, and public associations, after discussing the problem, adopted a resolution that will serve as an action plan for the prevention of drunkenness and alcoholism for 2011-2015. In their opinion, this period should become the "five-year action plan of the anti-alcohol campaign" in Novopolotsk. The main directions of the plan will concern the introduction of restrictive measures that exclude the consumption of alcohol by minors, limiting the places of sale and consumption of alcohol, and stimulating anti-alcohol advertising.

City assembly delegates also put forward specific proposals to reduce alcohol abuse in society. In addition to audio lectures on "sober routes," they propose holding "sobriety mornings" once a month with restrictions on alcohol sales from 8:00 AM to 11:00 AM, and continuing the practice of Sobriety Days by intensifying sports and cultural events promoting a healthy lifestyle on these days. Many proposals concern the prevention of drunkenness among young people.

Delegates consider the necessary measures to include restricting the advertising of any alcoholic beverages, especially beer, in the oil city, as well as covert advertising of their brands on transport and in summer cafes, and reducing the sale of cheap fruit and berry wines. The People's Assembly proposes not only to bring individuals to administrative responsibility and fines for drinking alcohol in public places but also to post photos of offenders at their place of residence, in nearby shops, and at their place of work and study, thereby involving the public in condemning antisocial behavior.

According to Vyacheslav Durnov, despite the fact that a plan for the prevention and prophylaxis of alcoholism will be developed in the coming days, some proposals from the city assembly delegates are already beginning to be implemented.-0-