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Wonder what they used to toast the New Year
Perfume not sold
Then, Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev drastically cut vodka production and did not allow it to be sold before 2pm.
Significantly, perfume was also not to be sold before midday <span style="font-weight: bold">as people were starting to drink that.</span>
Officially, lives were saved and alcoholism dropped, but Soviet state revenues took a massive hit and so did Mr Gorbachev's popularity. President Medvedev cannot allow either of those things to happen to him.
<span style="font-style: italic">
This law is not the solution, it is just a small step, albeit a positive one, in the fight against alcoholism
Dr Elena Igorevna
Moscow Scientific Centre for Substance Abuse</span>
Perfume not sold
Then, Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev drastically cut vodka production and did not allow it to be sold before 2pm.
Significantly, perfume was also not to be sold before midday <span style="font-weight: bold">as people were starting to drink that.</span>
Officially, lives were saved and alcoholism dropped, but Soviet state revenues took a massive hit and so did Mr Gorbachev's popularity. President Medvedev cannot allow either of those things to happen to him.
<span style="font-style: italic">
This law is not the solution, it is just a small step, albeit a positive one, in the fight against alcoholism
Dr Elena Igorevna
Moscow Scientific Centre for Substance Abuse</span>