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Will boycotting Russian vodka really hurt the country?

Governor Roy Cooper ordered the ABC Commission to suspend the approval of any products produced by Russian entities.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Russia is known for its vodka, but will boycotting it really hurt the country?

Let's connect the dots. 

Officials in several states, including North Carolina, are calling on stores to pull Russian branded products from their shelves to protest Russia's invasion of Ukraine. 

Governor Roy Cooper ordered the ABC Commission to suspend the approval of any products produced by Russian entities. But most vodka brands that have Russian roots are not made there now. Some are even produced in the United States.

RELATED: North Carolina to end sales of Russian vodka at liquor stores per executive order

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Smirnoff, which traces its name to Russia, is owned by a British spirits corporation and manufactured in Illinois. 

Vodka is the best-selling spirit in the US, according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States. 

However, Russian vodka imports have declined by nearly 79% since 2011 and now account for only a small proportion of vodka sold in the U.S. 

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So, while all of the Russian vodka bans may be a nice, symbolic gesture, they will have a little economic effect.

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