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and so does prohibition-like bureaucratic crap.

An attempt to crack down on bootleg liquor has backfired spectacularly, with dozens of Russians dying and more than 2,000 in hospital as a wave of alcohol poisonings sweeps the country... ...The epidemic follows the introduction earlier this year of new excise stamps aimed at fighting widespread sales of counterfeit alcohol. That has driven up the price of alcohol, and bureaucratic bungling has delayed distribution of the stamps, causing shortfalls.
Inexpensive wine has also become scarce in the wake of Russia's ban on wine imports from Georgia and Moldova because of deteriorating relations with the two countries.
Shortages have led to a boom in sales of illegal, homemade spirits and alcohol substitutes, such as cleaning solutions, lighter fuel, anti-freeze and rust-removing chemicals.
"Russia is suffering from a severe epidemic," said Oleg Zykov, director of the "No to Alcoholism and Drug Abuse" foundation in Moscow. "Because they can't find cheap vodka, people are poisoning themselves with terrible surrogates."

The U.S. has (for the most part) eliminated problems related to black market alcohol. But as the Cato Institute has pointed out, high cigarette taxes have created a violent market for illegal cigarettes in major U.S. cities. More here and here. Posted by Bill Piper.
http://www.nooked.com/news/itemtrack...0eaa9050cf1f56

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