Why am I not allowed to buy alcohol at the store after 11pm in Russia?
While in Moscow, I went to the store around 11:30pm to buy some beer, and the cashier checked her watch and said no.
Why am I not allowed to buy alcohol at the store after 11pm in Russia?
Best Answer
Rules regarding alcohol production, sales and consumption are governed by Federal law N 171-??. Chapter II article 16 paragraph 5 says:
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Basically, only public catering facilities (like restaurants and bars) and duty-free shops can legally sell alcohol in Russia between 11pm and 8am. Note that in many regions restaurants and bars are only allowed to serve you alcohol to be consumed on site and are specifically forbidden to sell closed bottles.
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How late can you buy alcohol in Russia?
In 2012, a national ban on sales of all types of alcoholic beverages from 11 p.m. to 8 a.m. was introduced to complement regional bans. The Russian government has proposed reducing the state minimum price of vodka in reaction to the 2014\u201315 Russian financial crisis.What are the alcohol laws in Russia?
Russia's Health Ministry was drafting legislation to raise the legal age for purchases of strong alcohol from 18 to 21. Proposals to allow alcohol sales for people older than 21 years of age have been repeatedly debated by Russian lawmakers in recent years, as The Moscow Times reported in late 2018.Is it illegal to drink vodka in Russia?
Vodka \u2013 both legal and illegal \u2013 remains the chief killer in Russia, where it accounts for up to 70% of consumption, despite the rising popularity of beer and mixed drinks such as gin and tonic in cans.How old do you have to be to drink vodka in Russian?
It is usually legal to drink alcohol in Russia until you are 18 years old. This is usually the case, but there are exceptions. Cognac and vodka, for example, require a minimum age of 21 to purchase.Life in RUSSIA 2 months AFTER SANCTIONS
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Answer 2
Such laws are common around the world, not just Russia.
There are two dominant reasons for this.
The Russian Government is very concerned about alcoholism (Reference Article) and has passed laws restricting the sale to combat this.
Also, Blue Laws, as term used in the US, and also very common in other western countries, may be in effect locally. More here: Blue Laws
The reasons and traditions behind them might be different, but the effect is the same.
Either way, you can't buy beer after 11pm because it's against the law.
If you want to know the specific reason for the law where you are*, apart from the national statute, you can ask some of the locals. But expect many, especially younger, to not know. This definitely the case here in the US.
*In the US Blue Laws can and do change by State, County or City.
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
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