Your health!

Whew, we can all go back to using this Irish toast.  'The Globe and Mail' ran a column today by Dan Malleck, professor in the Department of Health Sciences at Brock and medical historian specializing in drug and alcohol regulation.  Entitled "Canada's drastic new alcohol guidelines demand a closer look", he writes that alcohol has many benefits.

Folks, you can take your finger off the panic button.  And don't throw out your wine collection just yet!

Apparently, the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA) left out a few facts.  The CCSA is basing its recommendations on a relatively narrow understanding of how alcohol functions, he points out. If you look at drinking as the only factor, you miss many other contributors.  

"We don't know, for instance, whether they spent their time drinking in smoky bars or restaurants (back when that was allowed), or did so while eating less healthy foods -- all factors marginalized when alcohol becomes the only focus," writes Malleck.

Guilty!  When it comes to smoky bars and bad (but delicious) food.

As for the risk, the study only presents relative risk, not absolute.  Many of the cancers the CCSA associates with alcohol have very low incidence rates in general, he notes, adding that everyone has a different level of risk for various conditions, based on lifestyle and genetics.  

"The CCSA made its recommendations without consideration of the potential and well-documented positive effects of alcohol on the lives of individuals.  It also neglected to mention the potential harms caused by excessive and patronizing recommendations in the name of 'for your own good' science."

Another point to note is that studies also show that abstinence can cause greater health harm than moderate consumption.  Who knew?!  Alcohol also enhances lives in positive, social ways.  I'll drink to that!  We drink to commiserate, rejoice, mourn and blow off steam.  Cheers!  

The bottom line is that this study only presents data largely removed from actual human behaviour, interactions and experiences.  In other words, the very things that give life meaning.  Prof. Malleck concludes by saying that, "The CCSA recommendations are worse than useless.  They are downright reckless."

                                   Here's mud in your eye!