Two drinks a WEEK?
Since the 1990s, guidance from the United States government has advised men to limit their alcohol intake to two drinks per day, and only one drink a day per women.
But that all could change soon.
According to Dr. George Koob, who serves as President Biden’s “alcohol czar” (whatever that means), that guidance is up for review in 2025 – and officials may revise the recommendations to be in line with Canada’s current guidance of just two drinks per week, versus two drinks per day.
Canada’s guidelines were issued in January, and warn that more than two drinks per week increase your risk for everything from cancer to heart disease.
The alcohol czar (not gonna lie, that sounds like a cool job but if this is the kind of sh*t they do it’s probably not as cool as the title makes it sound) said that the US is closely watching the effects of Canada’s new recommendations:
“If there’s health benefits, I think people will start to re-evaluate where we’re at…
So, if [alcohol consumption guidelines] go in any direction, it would be toward Canada.”
Now obviously these recommendations aren’t laws, so there wouldn’t be anything prohibiting anybody from having more than two drinks a week.
But honestly, is there anybody who drinks who only has two per week?
I know it’s probably not something I should admit, but if I’m going to drink, I don’t really see the point of just having one. One drink doesn’t do anything for me (which sure, that might be a problem, but whatever), so if I’m going to drink for the effects of the alcohol I’m definitely going to have more than one.
And people online definitely agreed.
It is a pity I only have 2 middle fingers to give. pic.twitter.com/SEYY1iRA7t
— Han Brolo (@bxlewi1) August 25, 2023
Cutting back to two beers a week isn’t a big deal. I don’t understand why everyone is up in arms about it.
I’ll just supplement them with 5 bottles of wine, 8 old fashioneds, 6 martinis, and a pitcher of margaritas each week. I doubt I’ll even miss the other beers. 😂
— Call Me Cerdo (@BFcerdo) August 25, 2023
Now obviously nobody’s arguing that alcohol’s healthy. But I’m pretty sure nobody who drinks it is doing it for the health benefits. Everybody knows (or should know) the dangers of alcohol.
So apologies to the alcohol czar, but I’m not going to limit my drinking to two a week just because the government recommends it.
I mean, imagine going to a concert and only having two $15 beers. I’m dropping $200 and blacking out before the headliner. It’s just tradition at this point, and no alcohol czar is taking that away from me.
