Montreal (AFP)
Alcohol, a staple food in times of coronavirus? While some countries have banned it, others have chosen to leave specialty stores open. For economic or health reasons or because a "glass of wine can help" to endure containment.
Unlike South Africa, which has banned the sale, many European or North American countries have authorized specialty stores to remain open in the same way as "essential" businesses such as supermarkets or pharmacies.
In Canada, this is also the case for cannabis shops, a legal soft drug since the end of 2018.
In Quebec, Prime Minister François Legault justified this decision - hailed by consumers but criticized by a union worried about the risk of contamination - by the risk of "chaos" in the event of closure. While adding that "sometimes a glass of wine can help" reduce stress.
"If we had closed stores selling alcohol, there would have been a potential loss of significant revenue for governments," Catherine Paradis, analyst at the Canadian Center on Addictions and Substance Use, confirmed to AFP. stating that the sale of alcohol brings in about 411 dollars per Canadian per year to the state.
Because of the confinement, "everyone has the impression that it is Friday or Saturday all the time," notes this expert, noting an increase in alcohol consumption among the population.
A juicy business, the Société des Alcools du Québec (SAQ) paid 1.146 billion Canadian dollars (738 million euros) to the Quebec public treasury in 2019. It is currently experiencing store visits similar to that "in the weeks preceding Christmas "and online orders" comparable to Black Friday ".
- "Very, very dangerous" -
On the other side of the border, the governor of New York, epicenter of the epidemic in the United States, has also placed wine and spirits stores on the list of businesses deemed "essential".
The New York State Liquor Stores Association has confirmed that sales have increased significantly. "In a way, we are helping the economy," said president Stefan Kalogridis at AFP.
In addition, closing liquor stores could lead to increased anxiety and stress among many alcohol consumers, several experts note.
In the event of forced withdrawal, dependent persons may experience side effects for several days: tremors, insomnia, nausea, etc.
"Someone who can no longer consume (alcohol) overnight could have serious complications, especially if the person is confined to their home, it is very very dangerous," said AFP Anne-Elizabeth Lapointe. , director of the Quebec Center for Addiction Control.
- Vodka after the sauna -
During an epidemic, alcohol can also have new uses.
In France, where the wine merchants were able to remain open, the alcoholic Pernod Ricard, world number two in the sector, then Bacardi, were among the first to convert part of their production into hydroalcoholic gel.
The black market is also participating in the "war" effort: in Poland, almost half a million liters of contraband vodka and pure alcohol, produced illegally, are used as a disinfectant in the fight against coronavirus, instead of being destroyed.
On the other side of the border, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko even recommended drinking a 100 ml glass of vodka after going to the sauna, as a miracle cure for coronavirus.
Russia, long regarded as one of the most drinkable countries in the world according to the World Health Organization (WHO), has not taken restrictions or announced any special measures.
Unlike the head of the Hong Kong executive Carrie Lam, who ordered all restaurants and bars to stop serving them, on the grounds that easy access to alcohol could undermine the recommendations for social distancing.
"Sometimes people get a little closer when they are drunk, which increases the risk of infection," she said.
"The most worrying risk", alarmed Catherine Paradis, is that of "an increase in domestic violence and violence between spouses".
To limit these, Greenland has temporarily banned the sale of alcohol in its capital Nuuk and its region, the scourge being mainly linked to the consumption of alcohol and drugs.
© 2020 AFP