MOSCOW, March 18 (RAPSI) – Starting May 1, the sale of low-alcohol energy drinks will be prohibited in Moscow. The relevant bill was adopted on Wednesday by the Moscow City Duma.

Low-alcohol energy drinks are 9 % alcoholic beverages containing caffeine or other tonic components.

The legislation will touch companies and private entrepreneurs as well as individuals who actually sell the products. Penalties for the sale of low-alcohol energy drinks include fines of between 5,000 and 10,000 rubles ($81 - $162) and confiscation of the product for salespersons, as well as fines of 50,000 to 100,000 rubles ($810-$1,600) and confiscation of the product for companies.

Earlier, the Moscow Region Duma adopted in the first reading a similar bill banning the sale of low-alcohol energy drinks and to limit the sale of non-alcoholic energy drinks in the region. It is expected to become effective also on May 1.

Legislation that restricts the sale and consumption of low-alcohol energy drinks has been already adopted in Chechnya, the Stavropol, Krasnodar and Altai territories, the Chukotka Autonomous Area, and the Tula, Kaluga, Rostov, Nizhny Novgorod and Astrakhan regions, among others.