Czechs mark ninth annual ‘Dry February’ of alcohol abstinence

The ninth annual ‘Dry February’ (Suchej únor) campaign organised by the League of Open Men began on Monday. It aims to encourage Czechs to abstain from alcohol for the full month, which organisers say leads to “greater self-awareness, higher energy levels and better sex”.

Czechs are among the world’s biggest drinkers per capita and about 15 percent of the population regularly drinks to excess, as defined by the World Health Organization.

According to the latest annual report on drug use, 8.5 percent of people over the age of 15 drink alcohol daily or almost daily and 16 percent binge drink. According to the League of Open Men, more than 1 million Czechs are on the verge of “risky consumption”, with the Covid-19 crisis having worsened the trend.