Is Alcohol Legal in Uzbekistan

If you`ve been to Turkey, it`s quite similar, although a little less common. It is a secular country and although many people are Muslims, there are also Muslims who choose to drink alcohol again. Similar to Turkey, drinking as a woman gets more frowns than as a man. Ignore it and enjoy your drink if it ever happens. Most of the alcohol available is vodka, beer, sweet wine and sweet champagne. If you buy vodka, try to get it from a state store. Vodka sold in other places can be tricky or even dangerous. Beer and vodka are often Russian. Shakhrisyabz wine is a sweet wine in Iranian style.

The legal age to buy alcohol is 21 in Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan and 20 in Uzbekistan. Only Kyrgyzstan allows the purchase of alcohol from the age of 18. Uzbekistan, although Muslim, retained many of its Soviet habits, including the love of alcohol. A small wine scene developed as a result and now Uzbekistan has 14 wineries, the oldest and most famous is the Khovrenko vineyard in Samarkand. Homosexuality is illegal under Uzbek law and still frowned upon by society. You should pay attention to public expressions of affection. Check out our information and tips page for the LGBT community before you travel. A month after a law restricting the sale of alcohol in Uzbekistan came into force, trade in beer, wine and spirits – at least over the counter – has dried up in Tashkent`s city centre. Where the city was dotted with small shops selling alcohol, since the entry into force of the law for the protection of the health of the country on the 1. Only a handful remained.

The law prohibits the sale of alcohol and cigarettes within 500 meters of schools. Places of worship and sports facilities. This excludes almost all places in Tashkent and other cities, as pointed out by „discouraged” liquor traffickers on the website of independent Uznews.net. A walk through downtown Tashkent shows that many shops that used to sell the demonic drink have closed or changed their businesses. A handful of liquor stores remain in the city center (some of which appear to be remarkably close to schools). Not surprisingly, those who are still in business engage in dynamic trade. Implementation of the law appears uneven: Uznews.net noted earlier this month that many liquor stores are still in operation, and there is anecdotal evidence that some stores sell alcohol over the counter. Restaurants, bars and nightclubs are not covered by the ban. The cigarette trade does not seem to be affected: they remain available in shops and stalls in Tashkent. For anti-smoking campaigners, the law looks like a missed opportunity to ban smoking in „workplaces”, but faces a ban in restaurants and bars. The legislation also bans alcohol or tobacco advertising and prohibits its sale to people under 20 – so some adult Uzbeks (adulthood officially begins at 18) can no longer legally buy beer or cigarettes. The law was approved last October and was due to go into effect on April 1, but liquor sellers were given a six-month grace period.

It officially aims to protect the nation`s health „from the harmful effects of alcohol and tobacco consumption, as well as from social and other negative consequences” – but skeptics see a possible ulterior motive for officials. These control licenses could use the legislation to receive bribes, the Uzmetronom website suggested. Ordinary people and state coffers are losing, the website said, while „officials who initiated the new sales system and control licenses for the right to sell, as well as ghost traffickers” are the big winners. Alcohol consumption is a social problem in Central Asia. Authorities in countries in the region regularly conduct campaigns to reduce alcohol consumption and improve the health of citizens. However, the topic remains relevant and data on the region shows convincing figures and trends. WHO data for 2016 indicate that the alcohol-related liver cirrhosis mortality rate in Kazakhstan is 73.9% for men and 45.2% for women. In Kyrgyzstan, it is 72.3 per cent for men and 40.3 per cent for women. The rates are 69 per cent and 38.8 per cent in Turkmenistan, 60.5 per cent and 29.8 per cent in Tajikistan and 58.6 per cent and 29.2 per cent in Uzbekistan. Kazakhstan bans the sale of alcohol from 23:00 on weekdays and from 12:00 on weekends until 08:00.

The sale of alcoholic beverages with a volume of ethyl alcohol greater than 30% (vodka, rum, whisky, cognac) is prohibited from 9pm to noon the next day, with the exception of cafes©, bars, restaurants and trading houses, where you can buy alcohol during the working hours of a place. I see that the suffix „-stan” got you thinking. But yes, buying and drinking alcohol is legal in Uzbekistan. The only Poles where alcohol is banned are Afghanistan and Pakistan for Muslims only. In Uzbekistan and most of its neighbors, drinking alcohol is acceptable as long as you behave. Although it must be respected, it is forbidden for people under the age of 20 to buy alcohol (and tobacco) in Uzbekistan. I doubt they ask for ID, but if you`re 18 and want to party in Central Asia, you could postpone it and party in Central America or Eastern Europe in the meantime. You should always have your passport with you, as this is required by law in Uzbekistan. The police often carry out checks.

Some Uzbeks drink kumiss – fermented mare`s milk, a mild alcoholic beverage (2-3%) – more commonly associated with Kazakhs, Mongols, Kyrgyz and other nomads. It is usually only available in spring and summer, when mares are foals, and takes about three days to ferment. The milk is placed in a chelek (wooden bucket or barrel) and mixed with an ear of wood called bishkek (from which the Kyrgyz city takes its name). Locals will tell you that kumiss cures everything from colds to tuberculosis, but drinking too much can cause you diarrhea. The best koumiss comes from the shepherds themselves; Things available in cities are sometimes diluted with cow`s milk or water. [Source: advantour] According to Oriental Express Central Asia: You should never drink vodka in Plov. You can drink it before, but in no case after. Only green tea and tradition too; A very reasonable tradition, mind you, because only a very healthy person can drink 40% alcoholic beverage after a heavy plov. [Source: Oriental Express Central Asia |~|] In 2010, total alcohol consumption per capita in Kazakhstan was 9.3 liters, and in 2016, the figure fell to 7.7 liters. The harms of certain alcohol consumption may be greater for a low-income society than for a high-income society. For example, more advanced road infrastructure in developed countries is thought to reduce the likelihood of road accidents caused by alcohol consumption, while in less developed countries, on the contrary, the likelihood increases.

However, this does not mean that the decline in alcohol consumption depends on the economic development of the country. All the internet resources we read about alcohol in Uzbekistan could not agree. Wikipedia says that alcohol is less popular than in the West (low bar), but that Uzbek wines are very popular. A poorly written article said that Uzbekistan had „retained many of its Soviet habits, including the love of alcohol.” And another source said: „Alcohol is part of the daily life of many people in Uzbekistan – especially Russians.” Yikes is a great generalization. In Turkmenistan, the sale of alcohol is prohibited on public holidays and non-working days, including Saturdays and Sundays. Alcohol is part of the daily life of many people in Uzbekistan, especially Russians. The Soviets introduced vodka and other alcoholic beverages and today it is part of the culture; Only the strictest Muslims abstain from alcohol. Uzbeks have a long tradition of drinking.

In 1900, a British traveller stated that he was expected to drink a pint of brandy at every meal, less than his host „seemed very hurt.” In comparison, Russia ranks 16th in terms of alcohol consumption. The country has managed to significantly reduce per capita alcohol consumption from 15.8 litres in 2010 to 11.7 litres in 2016. In 2016, the death rate in Kazakhstan due to alcohol-related traffic accidents is 34.2% for men and 31.5% for women. In second place is Turkmenistan, where the figure is 31% for men and 22.9% for women. It is followed by Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. This beer beats like a train. I got it mainly because of the high alcohol content and because it contains this image of Señor Che with the text „Craft Revolution”. If there is a similar beer with Lenin or Trotsky on the label, please let me know the details in this comments section. The beer itself smells like slightly burnt caramel and tastes like making something you`ll never come back from (bitter and sweet).

On Untappd, I learned that this beer is categorized as „Belgian Strong Golden Ale”, but it doesn`t sound like anything. Male alcohol consumption in the region has declined since 2010. The same trend can be observed in women. The exception is Tajikistan, where alcohol consumption has increased among both women and men. Of course, you can use alcohol in Uzbekistan. It`s kind of a part of their lives. Alcohol is consumed by many Uzbeks, especially Russians. The Soviet people introduced vodka and other alcoholic beverages, which are now part of their lives. However, some very strict Muslims do not prefer to drink. However, it is allowed and legal in the country.