Dmitry Samoilov Muddy swill What causes mass cider poisoning in Russia 06/08/2023, 08:32

Russia, to put it mildly, is, of course, a drinking country. However, like any country where alcohol is not prohibited by law. According to WHO data for the first half of 2022, Russia ranks 16th among countries with the highest consumption of alcohol per capita, including minors. In the first place – traditionally Moldova. But even Luxembourg is in seventh place. It turns out that people in Russia like to drink, but this is either taken into account incorrectly, or they really drink, but they understand the measure.

How did it happen that hundreds of people were poisoned by a terrible cider? One is in intensive care and 29 people have already died. The numbers are rising and most likely not everyone will return home from intensive care.

People were poisoned first in the Ulyanovsk region, then in the Nizhny Novgorod region, then in Udmurtia. They are trying to stop this infection by putting barriers on the roads of the Samara region, where Anar Huseynov, the producer of this so-called cider, is registered.

How can this be? Capital, as you know, “… at 50 percent is absolutely ready to break its head, at 100 percent it violates all human laws, at 300 percent there is no such crime that it would not risk, at least under the pain of the gallows.” This phrase became famous thanks to the work of Karl Marx, but comes from the publication of British trade unionist Thomas Joseph Dunning, who fought capitalism as best he could. Dunning himself died in December 1873, and capitalism, as we have seen, did not disappear. And the principle of profit by crime is alive and well, taking the lives of dozens of people.

I’m trying to imagine the chain of events that led to this disaster, the deaths of people. Of course, the manufacturer did not even think about making real cider, observing the technology. He bought cheap juice, sugar and alcohol. Alcohol is sold relatively freely. There are many related factories where you can easily find someone to bring this alcohol to you through the checkpoint. Even in plastic boxes. And if you are an entrepreneur with a certain volume of production, then I believe that this alcohol will be supplied to you on an industrial scale. So why was ethanol mixed with methanol somewhere? After all, they cost approximately the same. Is this an accident or someone decided to save a ridiculous amount? Or was someone maliciously trying to kill more people? So this is terrorism.
But let’s leave the accused to the investigation and the court. They will somehow take care of them, they have already arrested the entrepreneur.

Let’s talk about a phenomenon such as victim behavior. The perpetrator will always be blamed for a crime and the victim will never be blamed. This is absolutely. However, there are some ways to ensure that you do not fall victim to the number of victims.

Because if you’re already dead, it’s pointless to prove that you’re not responsible for it. It is better to avoid death. Yes, everyone is free to walk in an unfamiliar and remote area at night, lighting their way with a new smartphone. And yes, it is the duty of the state to fight crime. But let’s put it this way: Do you want to avoid robbery because you were informed that it is better not to go to this area at night?

This brings us to the problem of alcohol consumption culture. I looked at photos of cider that had already poisoned dozens of people to death. The very thought that a person—a teenager or an adult—could buy and drink a cloudy acid-colored liquid in a dirty plastic bottle with a more or less obvious label terrifies me. It’s as if people were provoked to sip dog urine from a puddle. Why? Why not drink from a puddle?

Alcohol is indeed a poison, an inspiration, a stimulant, a sedative, and part of a huge cultural layer. And yes, there are millions of people who are warm and sympathetic to alcohol. There are thousands of people who produce alcohol with skill and love for the product. But of course, there are thousands of people who produce and sell it just to earn themselves a few thousand rubles. And they should be protected in every possible way. The first of these is to increase the drinking culture.

Pay attention to the beautiful bottles with high-quality printing. Get rid of the plastic. And most importantly, explain to your children what they should not drink. They still want to try something. Tell them to check with you before buying any muddy beer.

The author expresses his personal opinion, which may not coincide with the editors’ position.