Survey Results on Alcohol Use

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A survey conducted by Vilnius University has showed that drinking habits in Lithuania have not changed in essence despite the government’s attempts to limit alcohol consumption.

According to the survey released in July, the proportion of Lithuanian population that consumed alcohol often and abundantly stayed stable at 5%. This group included people that consumed alcohol every day or 2 to 4 times per week, drinking more than 20 units of alcohol. The group was responsible for 28% of all alcohol consumption in Lithuania.

The survey also showed that 90% of the heavy drinkers were men, a third of whom were over 60 years old. Almost 60% of the heavy drinkers also lived in rural areas, and most of them had only secondary education or lower.

Survey results show that more young people were consuming alcohol in Lithuania, as the share of under 30-year-olds among the heavy drinkers has grown from 10 to 21% over the past four years. Among the respondents, 25% said they consumed alcohol every week and 48% admitted to drinking a few times per month.

The authors of the survey noted that the attempts by the government to limit alcohol consumption over the past few years have not been effective. The sale of alcohol to people under 20 was banned in Lithuania in 2018. The country also introduced tougher advertising controls and increased excise duties. More than 80% of respondents said that the government measures have not impacted their alcohol consumption habits.

LRT.lt