Suchej únor is the Czech annual, voluntary month of abstinence from alcohol, running since 2013. The idea is simple: take February as a low pressure experiment and notice what changes when alcohol is not in the picture. In 2026 the campaign leans on a gentle structure, “one small step each day”, meaning a short daily prompt you can return to, without judgement and without performing for anyone.

The background is not exactly subtle. Czech Republic has long been among higher-consumption countries, and estimates of risky drinking run into the millions. In the campaign’s own framing, roughly 2 million people drink in ways that seriously threaten health, while the campaign impact deck also highlights that over 1,000,000 people are beyond the “risky drinking” threshold (different definitions, same problem). Average consumption is cited at about 14.4 litres of pure alcohol per person per year, with social costs estimated at 56 billion CZK annually. Health wise, alcohol is a Group 1 carcinogen according to International Agency for Research on Cancer and it causally increases the risk of multiple cancers, among them cancers of the mouth, throat and voice box, oesophagus, liver, colorectum, and female breast. World Health Organization has also stated that, when it comes to alcohol consumption, there is no safe amount that does not affect health.

What people often notice during a dry month is not only physical. Better sleep, steadier mornings, more energy, and fewer mood swings are common themes, and the campaign text also points out something counterintuitive: alcohol can feel like it relieves tension short term, but over time it tends to increase stress in both body and mind. For some, February ends with old habits returning, for others it becomes the nudge that changes their “normal”. On the wider impact side, the campaign deck reports that awareness of Suchej únor rose from 58% to 76% across the population, active participation grew from 9% to 10.3% of adults (Nielsen Admosphere), and 81% of respondents viewed it as a positive campaign.

Find more from Suchej únor (Czech Republic, February 2026)