Atheistic Czech Republic and alcoholism

In 2005, the Czech Republic placed second in alcohol consumption.[1]

From a historical perspective, the Czechs have been characterised as "tolerant and even indifferent towards religion".[2] According to the 2011 census, 34.2% of the Czech population declared they had no religion, 10.3% was Roman Catholic and 10.2% followed other forms of religion both denominational and nondenominational. Furthermore, 45.2% of the population did not answer the question about religion.[3] From 1991 to 2001 and further to 2011 the adherence to Roman Catholicism decreased from 39.0% to 26.8% and then subsequently to 10.3%.[4]

In 2011, Radio Prague declared concerning the Czech Republic:

“  |  The Czech Republic has just received the sort of global recognition it could do without – placed second in a world ranking of alcohol consumption in a World Health Organisation study. And local alcoholism experts say problem drinking is on the increase as Czechs seek an easy solution to increased stress and other problems.

The Czech Republic was in effect given the silver medal for worldwide alcohol consumption by a recent study by the United Nation’s healthcare unit, the World Health Organisation (WHO). With an average annual per capita consumption equivalent of just under 16.5 litres of pure alcohol consumed by every person over 15, the country was only topped by the former Soviet Republic of Moldova. There the consumption figure came in at 18.2 litres. The European average is 12.2 litres.

With a bit more breakdown, the figures become even more eye watering, with equivalent pure alcohol consumption for Czech male drinkers climbing to an average 26.59 litres of pure alcohol.

The WHO ranking is based on statistics ending in 2005, but there is little to suggest the picture has changed in the last years.[5]

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The Czech president Miloš Zeman who calls himself a "tolerant atheist",[6] often extols the virtues of alcohol.[7]

## See also[edit]

* Atheism and alcoholism

* Atheism and health

* Czech Republic and child pornography

## References[edit]

1. ↑ Czech alcohol consumption figures highlight rising number of problem drinkers, 23-02-2011 16:29 | Chris Johnstone
2. ↑ Richard Felix Staar, Communist regimes in Eastern Europe, Issue 269, p. 90
3. ↑ Richard Felix Staar, Communist regimes in Eastern Europe, Issue 269, p. 90
4. ↑ Population by denomination and sex: as measured by 1921, 1930, 1950, 1991 and 2001 censuses (Czech and English). Czech Statistical Office. Retrieved on 2010-03-09.
5. ↑ Czech alcohol consumption figures highlight rising number of problem drinkers, 23-02-2011 16:29 | Chris Johnstone
6. ↑ https://blogs.wsj.com/emergingeurope/2013/03/08/czech-president-milos-zeman-casts-himself-as-unifier/
7. ↑ https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/czechrepublic/10057395/Czech-President-accused-of-being-drunk-at-official-engagement.html