There is abundant literature about alcohol consumption and alcoholism in Russia. However, some papers operate mainly with truisms and generalities about health damage from alcohol. Practical realizations of such approach were indiscriminate social policies such as the anti-alcohol campaign (1985-1989). Later on, a questionable concept has been propagated that the quantity but not quality of consumed alcohol is important for health. This coincided with the quality decrease of beverages. Industrial alcohol-containing liquids were sold in vodka bottles causing severe poisonings. Following abolition of the state alcohol monopoly in 1992, the country was flooded by beverages of poor quality, sold through legally operating shops and kiosks, which caused severe poisonings. Thereafter, the quality has improved while the consumption tended to decrease. It should be stressed in conclusion that the government must care about weaker members of society, including those suffering of substance use disorders and alcohol-related dementia, because they can be poisoned by toxic beverages, abused and expropriated by criminals. In regard to the future research, poor quality beverages containing toxic admixtures are of particular importance. Addition of ethanol from non-edible sources to beverages should be prohibited or, at least, its presence must be clearly indicated on labels. An interdisciplinary approach is necessary to objectively elucidate the problem.