MOSCOW. April 23 (Interfax) - Inflation, alcoholism and drug addiction rank first among Russian citizens' worries, a poll shows.

Two-thirds of respondents (67%) see high inflation as the most serious problem, although two years ago it was mentioned by 55% of those surveyed, VTSIOM, a pollster, told Interfax on Wednesday, citing a poll held in March.

Sixty-six percent of respondents said in 2006 that alcoholism and drug addiction were the most alarming problems facing the country. Today, 63% of those surveyed see these problems as the most acute.

Over the past two years, concern about the situation in the housing utility sector has increased from 34% to 44%, about pensions from 33% to 38%, the system of healthcare from 19% to 31%, education from 10% to 20%, corruption from 17% to 30% and the environment from 20% to 26%.

Russian citizens' worries about terrorism have declined from 43% to 32% and about unemployment from 31% to 25% in the past two years.

Inflation tops the list of Russian citizens' personal concerns, with 68% of respondents identifying it in 2008, and 55% two years earlier.

The poll was conducted in 152 localities in 46 regions, territories and constituent republics.