Regulation of alcohol sale hours: experiences of First and Second Republic of Lithuania

Šio straipsnio tikslas – palyginti Pirmosios Lietuvos Respublikos (1918 – 1940) ir Antrosios Lietuvos Respublikos (1990 – 2012) alkoholio mažmeninės prekybos laiko reguliavimą. Straipsnyje remiamasi formalių dokumentų analizės metodu. Lyginamuosius kriterijus susiejus su alkoholio pardavimo laiko reguliavimu paros valandų, savaitės dienų ir visuomenei reikšmingų dienų aspektais, nustatomos esminį alkoholio laiko reguliavimą įvedusios partijos. Nustatyta, kad Pirmosios Lietuvos Respublikos laikotarpiu alkoholio pardavimo laiko reguliavimas buvo įvairesnis ir gerokai griežtesnis nei Antrosios Lietuvos Respublikos laikotarpiu. Liberalus buvęs 1934 m. Pirmosios Lietuvos Respublikos alkoholio laiko reguliavimas buvo gerokai griežtesnis nei 2012 m. įsigaliojęs ir šiandien veikiantis griežčiausias Antrosios Respublikos alkoholio pardavimo laiko apribojimas. Norint sumažinti besaikio alkoholio vartojimą ir su tuo susijusią žalą šiandienėje Lietuvoje, rekomenduojama griežtinti alkoholio pardavimo laiko ribojimą naktimis, savaitgaliais, švenčių dienomis ir per sporto varžybasThe goal of this article is to compare the regulation of the hours of retail alcohol sales in the First (1918–1940) and Second Republic of Lithuania (1990–2012). The research is based on document analysis. The regulation of the hours of alcohol sale in the First Republic of Lithuania is divided chronologically into three stages. Starting from 1922, sales were prohibited on certain state and religious (6) holidays and allowed on Sundays, but only after the church services, i.e. after 1 p.m. From 1925 until 1934, the most severe restrictions were in effect: alcohol sales wer e completely prohibited on Sundays and on 13 religious and 2 state holidays, and the hours of alcohol sales were shortened on Saturdays and on other religious holidays. In 1934, alcohol sales became strongly liberalized: the number of the religious holidays prohibiting them dropped significantly (only Christmas and Easter remained), Sunday sales were liberalized (allowed after the church services) and the sale hours were slightly prolonged. However, alcohol sales remained prohibited on days of the Seimas elections and mobilization throughout the entire period of the First Republic of Lithuania. Restrictions varied in alcohol shops and various public catering establishments (restaurants, pubs, cafés) where alcohol is sold on premise. In the latter, the sale hours were slightly longer than in shops. Furthermore, regulation of sale hours differed in regional centers (larger cities) and the smaller towns. The regulation of alcohol sales is clearly linked to the ruling parties of the time. The strongest restrictions on alcohol sale hours were imposed by the second Seimas, during the ruling of the Christian Democrats, and were liberalized during the period of ruling by Antanas Smetona.[...]Viešojo administravimo katedraVytauto Didžiojo universitetasŠiaulių universiteta