Is it possible to ban alcohol in an entire city in Kazakhstan?

Tengrinews.kz - A bold proposal was made in the Mazhilis yesterday that could significantly change the face of Turkestan. During discussions on a draft law regarding the special status of the city, deputy Ardak Nazarov suggested a complete ban on alcohol sales. In his opinion, this measure aligns with Turkestan's role as the spiritual capital of Kazakhstan. Experts shared their views on the potential effectiveness of this initiative with Tengrinews.kz.
The spiritual capital
"Turkestan is the spiritual capital, and all Kazakhs should draw their spirituality here. Our ancestors, saints, and beys are buried here. Tomorrow, many guests from abroad will arrive, and if our people greet them while intoxicated, it will be a disgrace. Therefore, as part of this law, is it possible to ban alcohol and declare Turkestan a city without alcohol?" said the deputy.
Deputy Akim (governor) of the Turkestan region Beisenbay Tazhibaev responded that the issue is relevant, appropriate, and will be considered within the framework of legislative norms.
Examples to follow
The idea of a complete alcohol ban has already gained support in some localities of Kazakhstan. For instance, in the village of Boyauly in the Balkhash district of the Almaty region, residents unanimously backed the elders' initiative to prohibit alcoholic beverages.
Another example is the village of Almaly in the Zhetysai district, where giving up alcohol has resulted in a zero crime rate. A similar situation is observed in the Ordabasy district of the Turkestan region. These cases demonstrate that a ban can yield tangible results if supported by the community.
Scaling such a practice to a city, especially one with the significant status of Turkestan, is a far more ambitious task. Therefore, the editorial team at Tengrinews.kz reached out to experts to assess how effective such initiatives could be at the city level.
Photo provided by the Akimat of Turkestan region
What do experts think?
Economist Arman Beysembayev is skeptical about the idea of a complete alcohol ban in Turkestan. In his view, such an initiative is not only doomed to fail but could also lead to a number of undesirable consequences.

"Products like alcohol and tobacco are major sources of income, particularly for small shops. Small retail outlets earn less from selling food or goods and more from alcohol and cigarettes. Their main revenue comes from these items. If cigarette sales aren't being banned, what justifies the intent to prohibit alcohol? I understand the desire to give Turkestan a special status, to make it a spiritual center akin to Dubai or Abu Dhabi," Beysembayev commented.

Alcohol will "go underground"
According to the economist, those who enjoy alcoholic beverages will always find a way around such restrictions. A ban will not eliminate alcohol consumption but will instead lead to the development of a "gray" market.

“Don’t think that just because a ban is introduced, alcohol will completely disappear from store shelves. If necessary, people will set up moonshine stills, and alcohol will be sold under the counter. Under prohibition, a bottle of vodka could cost two or three times more. The ban would make alcohol sales extremely lucrative, turning it into a super-profitable market. For those who abstain from alcohol for personal or religious reasons, the ban might seem beneficial. But will it completely remove alcohol from city shelves? No,” he explained.

The vaping example
As an example, he pointed to the situation with the ban on vape sales, which are still widely available.

“After the ban, buying vapes took on a kind of romantic appeal. They’re delivered with utmost secrecy, through acquaintances, and are carefully packaged. Vapes now sell for much more than they did before, but people continue to use them. Such decisions can lead to the exact opposite of the intended effect. For instance, hotels may emerge where alcohol can be delivered directly to rooms for an additional fee,” the expert said.

The economist emphasized that bans on alcoholic products have proven to be ineffective. Even in countries with strict restrictions, such as Arab states, alcohol is still available if desired.

“If you don't openly advertise it, there is essentially no ban. Therefore, personally, I am against such bans. Instead of legislating a ban, a wide-reaching propaganda and informational campaign could be conducted, explaining that Turkestan is the cradle of our ancestors, the spiritual capital of Kazakhstan, and it is inappropriate to sell alcohol here. I don’t deny that this is a long-term effort that requires certain resources,” said Beisembaev.

A village is not a city
According to the head of the analytical center DESHT Institutional Transformation Group, Kuanysh Zhaikov, such matters should be addressed by the local residents, specifically at the community level.

“Every place has its own culture and specifics. However, they should remember certain limitations that could make such measures ineffective. The most important thing is that rules work only when backed by strong law enforcement.

The village of Boyauyly is a great example in this regard: when very few people live there and everyone knows each other. There is a strong informal institution – the elders, who de facto regulate the behavior of local residents. They themselves initiated such a decision and help law enforcement enforce it. But a village is not a city,” Zhaikov noted.
Why is it more difficult in a city?
According to the analyst, transferring the rural model to a city is almost impossible. In larger settlements, informal institutions are weaker.

"In the city, informal institutions weaken, control becomes impossible, and there are too many people. Therefore, we mainly have to rely on government organizations and ask ourselves: are they really effective and transparent? Moreover, we don’t have internal customs between regions, so nobody will control the flows at the entry points. Most likely, it’s in the city that alcohol will remain, but it will just become more expensive, and the state will lose out on its payments. Around its distribution, there will inevitably be corruption and organized crime groups,” concluded Kuanysh Zhaikov.