23 September 2009, 15:49
Mykola Tomenko, the Voce-Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine took part today in the "round table" discussion "Caution, beer! - a Sober Opinion".
In his entering speech, M. Tomenko declared that there should be state program that one hand would popularize healthy life-style and on the other hand would explain the danger of alcoholic drinks and tobacco.
In order to elaborate common approaches and public organizations we should stop the discussion that there is no beer alcoholism in Ukraine and vote for the adoption of the bill "On Amendments to the Law of Ukraine "On State Regulation of Production and Circulation of Ethyl Alcohol, Cognac, Alcoholic Drinks and Tobacco Goods" (re the restriction of use and consuming of beer and low-alcohol drinks) (Reg.№1171) adopted by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on the 5th of March 2009 in the first reading.
M. Tomenko reminded that BYT faction is actively fighting against teenager alcohol abuse during latest years but he declared that "a serious group" of beer lobbyists exists in Ukraine and "they spend enormous funds in order to ground that beer is good for the Ukrainian people". He informed that the bills regarding the prohibition on the alcoholic and tobacco goods advertising by the famous people, bills regarding the restriction of use and sell of alcoholic drinks etc are the most less supported by the so-called "beer group" in Our Ukraine-People´s Self-Defense faction.
The Vice-Chairman called the bodies of state and local power, representatives of the publicity, mass-media to point the attention on the danger of the smoking and alcoholism problem spread in Ukraine. "Only when we are together we can regulate the problem through the amendments to the laws and divergent social programs. I am convinced that soon there would be a stop in the discussion that beer is alcohol", - M. Tomenko has emphasized.