At an off-site meeting of the Council of the Republic in Polotsk, issues of national health improvement were considered
The off-site meeting was attended by Chairperson of the Council of the Republic Natalya Kochanova, senators, including those from Polotsk and Novopolotsk, representatives of regional and district authorities, ministries, and clergy, including those from Russia. The main theme of the discussion during the meeting was that the global problem of drunkenness and alcoholism prevention needs to be addressed jointly. "We will be able to learn from the experience of representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church in protecting the population from alcoholism, familiarize ourselves with the experience of the regions of Belarus, and develop an interdepartmental concept for alcoholism prevention," Natalya Kochanova stated before the meeting began.
She added that public-state partnership with the church is an important aspect in solving this difficult problem. "This problem has serious consequences: almost all crimes are committed while intoxicated. Not only the Belarusian Orthodox Church but also other denominations have become involved in this issue. The state is doing a lot to strengthen the health of its citizens. Rehabilitation centers are opening in our country, and efforts are being made for the prevention and treatment of alcohol-dependent individuals. However, it is necessary to intervene at stages where there is an opportunity to help a person, because addiction to strong drinks is a line from which it is difficult to return a person," noted the Chairperson of the Council of the Republic.
Metropolitan Veniamin of Minsk and Zaslavl, Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus, in his speech cited the words of Anthony of Sourozh, who compared a person to an icon that can be darkened by vices. And it can only be cleansed and restored by spiritual purification. "Alcoholism distorts the image of God in the soul. The spiritual component is always present in rehabilitation programs for those dependent on alcohol. Pastoral word and medical treatment yield visible results. It should be noted that the harm from one drinking person affects at least 9-10 people around him. Drunkenness is not only a physical but also a social ailment. Therefore, to save the soul of a person, a citizen of the country, we must unite," the metropolitan emphasized.
Metropolitan Tikhon of Pskov and Porkhov spoke about the example of the so-called unobtrusive anti-alcohol campaign in Russia. "The church's task in solving this problem is prevention. In Russia, alcohol consumption by adults, adolescents, and children was a particular problem. The per capita consumption of ethyl alcohol, according to WHO data, was 15 liters in 2009. Clergy actively joined in solving this problem and participated in amending some laws on the sale of alcoholic products: restrictions on sales and a ban on selling alcohol after 10 p.m. were introduced in Russian cities. Also, to prevent drunkenness among youth, the sale of energy drinks with alcohol content was banned," the metropolitan said.
He also noted that in Russia, beer is equated to alcoholic products, and the same rules apply to its sale. A ban on advertising alcoholic beverages has been introduced on Russian television. Such measures have contributed to a decrease in alcohol consumption among adults, youth, and adolescents, as well as a reduction in crimes committed while intoxicated and suicides.
The problem of drunkenness in our country is also constantly monitored by law enforcement agencies. "In recent years, drinking culture has changed, but the problem of alcohol abuse has not disappeared. Most crimes are committed by citizens while intoxicated. Law enforcement agencies pay increased attention to families where at least one case of violence or threat of violence by an intoxicated person has been recorded. Workplaces are currently not sufficiently involved in preventing drunkenness, while an intoxicated person at work poses a direct threat to themselves and their colleagues. Therefore, the role of work collectives needs to be strengthened," said the Minister of Internal Affairs of Belarus, Ivan Kubrakov.
Minister of Health Dmitry Pinevich emphasized that alcoholism directly affects national security in the country: citizens who abuse alcohol cannot be carriers of a healthy gene pool and are more prone to severe diseases than others, and die during their working age. "In our country, the northern model of alcohol consumption prevails, characterized by a craving for strong drinks, which people consume in a short period of time – an example of the feasts familiar to many. In Belarus, according to statistical data, there is an increase in alcohol consumption per capita in the 15+ category, and in 2020 it was 10.8 liters per person. Nevertheless, alcohol consumption among youth has decreased, the younger generation has become more focused on maintaining health. The number of citizens registered as alcohol-dependent, including women, has also decreased," noted Minister of Health Dmitry Pinevich.
The problem of drunkenness was also considered from the perspective of education. Prevention of alcoholism and drug addiction in schools, secondary vocational and higher education institutions has always been given great attention, and an effective system of interdepartmental interaction has been established. In particular, clergy are invited to schools for spiritual conversations about the harm of alcoholic beverages. "Representatives of the church could also join the 'Parental Universities' project, which we conduct in schools for mothers and fathers," suggested Minister of Education Igor Karpenco, proposing another form of cooperation.
He added that alcoholism among adults causes such a phenomenon as social orphanhood, when children are removed from families where one or two parents abuse alcohol. At the beginning of the year, there were just over 18,000 orphans in Belarus, most of whom belong to the category of social orphans. The state takes children under its care and looks after them until they are returned to their biological families or placed in foster families.
"The idea to hold such a meeting arose during the President's meeting in the Zhirovichi Monastery on cooperation with the Belarusian Orthodox Church. The topic is pressing, it is important for us that the nation is healthy. A healthy person is the main wealth of the state. This problem should be tackled together: government bodies, public organizations, labor collectives. A drunk person is more controllable, he can go against his family and against the people. Therefore, there should be no indifference in joint work to protect against alcoholism. The authorities and the clergy have long and successfully cooperated in raising a healthy citizen. And the past meeting will give another impetus for us to look at this problem from different angles: education, families, heads of enterprises," Natalya Kochanova summed up.