Legacy from the Transition?: Alcohol Consumption by Young Adults in Ukraine

Abstract

The study analyses the effects of transition on the amount and patterns of alcohol consumption. We test the hypothesis of how far negative experiences induced by the collapse of the Soviet Union have led to drinking in the young generation of Ukrainians. We use data coming from the Ukrainian Longitude Monitoring Survey (ULMS) to identify both determinants and patterns of alcohol consumption among young adults. We find that financial strain in the household increases the probability of drinking in the cohort of young adults. Moreover, we also identify an intergenerational link in drinking behavior, which is often neglected in the literature.