Abstrakt
We have described the story of alcohol use in the Czech Republic as a country with one of the highest levels of alcohol use in the world. We showed that historical peaks of alcohol consumption manifested in the 1990s, the period of societal transition, which also opened Czech society to illicit drug use patterns.
When we analysed the trends in alcohol-related regulations in this transition period, we found a number of patterns in which the alcohol market became less restrictive. Until 1989, there were specific alcohol control bodies at both state and local level, while in the period of transition, alcohol policy was placed under the remit of the ministries.
Age-related regulation was stricter in terms of not allowing minors onto alcohol-serving premises after 8.00 p.m. Punishment for alcohol regulation violations received higher fines in the course of time.
On the other hand, alcohol serving facilities could no longer be punished for serving a driver. There remains a provision for compulsory treatment within the Criminal procedure in the Czech Republic, but an alcoholic's income can no longer be seized.
Putting it all together, more responsibility has been placed on the actual drinker. When it comes to pricing, alcohol has become more available in the transition period.
Alcohol prices increased more slowly than the prices of other goods, leading to the real price of beer becoming 20% cheaper than in the pre-transition period, and prices of spirits and wine being 60% cheaper than in the pre-transition period. Despite increased consumption, excise tax revenue decreased in real terms reflecting either a decrease in the real excise tax rate or an increase in illegal alcohol import and production.