Dry February gains fresh importance due to coronavirus crisis

The group League of Open Men has launched its ninth “Dry February” campaign to encourage Czechs, particularly men, to abstain from alcohol for the entire month.

The event is to help people gain awareness of just how much they drink and whether they are still able to control the habit.

The organizers point out that Czechs are among the world’s heaviest drinkers and excessive consumption threatens their health and quality of life.

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; 16 percent binge drink.

According to the organizers, over a million Czechs are on the verge of “risky drinking."

The coronavirus crisis has further aggravated this trend.