# Giving Up Alcohol



## cyclelicious (Oct 7, 2008)

On the MTBR forums there are various challenges to give up alcohol and a few older threads about abstinence to alcohol and drugs. I wanted to share this article for it's relevance to current times. Stats show that there is an increase in alcohol consumption ... especially amongst women (perhaps due to quarantine, stress etc) but there is also a downward trend of use and increase in non-alcoholic drinks. Some interesting stuff. For the record I stopped consuming alcohol long before Covid-19 (currently my body and brain thank me  )

*Giving Up Alcohol in the Era of Covid-19*
Back in mid-March, as schools and businesses began to close and people headed home to hunker down, Amanda, a 44-year-old yoga instructor in Portland, Maine (who asked that her real name not be used for privacy reasons), decided to address one of the many worries that had begun to consume her day. "And that was whether I was drinking too much," she says. Already, friends who suddenly had more time on their hands were ending their work days at 4 p.m. with a glass of wine or breaking out the "good tequila" on a Tuesday just to have "something to look forward to."

Several studies conducted last fall determined that binge drinking has increased during the pandemic. A study of more than 1,500 adults published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in September found that the frequency of alcohol consumption increased 14% over the previous year for all adults. For women, binge drinking went up a whopping 41%.
Amanda wasn't a problem drinker, but she worried that she could easily become one during the pandemic. "Removing the option entirely felt far easier than expecting myself to moderate, given all that was going on," she says. She's part of a growing number of people inspired by the pandemic to adopt a sort of preemptive sobriety. In July, a survey of 2,000 people commissioned by the addiction-awareness group Alcohol Change UK found that 7% of participants had stopped drinking completely during the lockdown.

The alcohol-alternative beverage market, meanwhile, has exploded and is now expected to exceed $29 billion by 2026. Jen Batchelor, the cofounder of Kin Euphorics, a line of non-alcoholic drinks, says that sales of their most popular canned cocktail, Kin Spritz, have quadrupled during the pandemic. "People are recognizing they don't want to poison their power supply while the state of the world is what it is," says Ms. Batchelor. "They want to maintain their agency at a time that's already mood roulette. But the mentality is not, 'I kicked alcohol.' It's 'I shifted away from alcohol.' It's a choice, rather than what we often think of as a necessity, someone's need to stop drinking-or else."

"I think a lot of people are coming at sobriety from a fresh, modern, data-driven lens these days, where it's so easy to measure the inputs in your life and what variables make you feel a different way-what affects your sleep, your hydration, your mindfulness," says Bill Shufelt, co-founder and CEO of Athletic Brewing Company, a nonalcoholic craft brewery whose 2020 sales were up more than 500% over the year before. "And I think isolation and being in their houses has especially helped people identify the variables that are making them feel better or worse."

People who give up alcohol often report doing so not to address a drinking problem but to avoid creating one. "At this time when people are feeling more anxious, it's become very common among the patients I'm seeing to give up alcohol preemptively," says Chicago psychotherapist Kelley Kitley. "People are telling me, I don't identify as an alcoholic, I'm not blacking out. But with everything so heightened, I recognize that I could be tempted to use alcohol as a coping mechanism."

Chris Cucchiara, a 32-year-old Realtor in Pismo Beach, Calif., hasn't had a drink since January of last year. "I thought I would start once the pandemic started, but I kept going" with sobriety, he says. "I have used alcohol to quell anxiety in the past. It became a goal to test myself during the pandemic, sort of a project." Will sobriety stick once the pandemic is over? Mr. Cucchiara says he's not sure, but he's happier now than he's been in a while.

It's interesting how a pandemic can fuel healthy choices as much as unhealthy ones," says Manhattan psychologist Sarah Gundle. "People are definitely struggling to find ways to cope, as some of their other tried and true methods, like the gym and friends, are being taken away. But making a conscious decision to do something differently during this time-as an experiment or a short-term goal or something more permanent-can provide a nice structure and focus that can be very soothing and useful."

From her more introverted newly sober patients, Dr. Gundle has heard reports of relief that they can now socialize without the need to drink. "They're at home and more comfortable, and no one has to know they're sipping a seltzer and not a gin and tonic," she says.

Even some who never considered sobriety-and may never again, once life returns to "normal"-have made the shift for the duration of the pandemic. Brian O'Ceileachair, a 39-year-old content director and Irish expat living in Orlando, Fla., says the pandemic ended his 20-plus-year streak of drinking several days a week. A friend had posted on Facebook about hitting one year sober, and Mr. O'Ceileachair was inspired "to take some time off."

It didn't take long for him to see a shift in his stress levels and overall mood. "Work got easier to deal with, the kids got less annoying, mornings got significantly easier," he says. "I'm currently on the longest sober streak of my life, and honestly I regret not figuring this out years ago. Everyone knows me as a grumpy curmudgeon, but since I quit drinking, I'm not that guy anymore."

Ruby Warrington, author of the 2019 book "Sober Curious," says she saw her Sober Curious Facebook group triple during the pandemic. "I saw far more people who might have considered themselves normal social drinkers suddenly realize they desired to numb out and knew that wasn't great," she says. "I also saw lots of people who might have used alcohol as social lubricant questioning their habits because it wasn't something they needed in order to socialize anymore."

In the U.K., she says, the number of people abstaining from alcohol for Dry January jumped from 3.9 million in 2020 to 6.5 million this year. An estimated 15% of Americans participated in Dry January in 2021 versus 10% last year. Ms. Warrington believes the shift has much to do with the fact that it can be far easier to abstain from alcohol completely than to try to moderate. "We expend an awful amount of brain power drinking, and as soon as we've had one, our responses are already altered," she says.

Before Covid-19, Lillie Marshall, a 39-year-old teacher, writer and mother of two in Boston, was a "classic mother drinker," she says. "I'd teach all day, come home exhausted, reward myself with a drink, maybe two." Once lockdown started and she found herself teaching from home, as well as taking care of her two young kids, she realized that she "could not survive this thing" unless she was in top shape. She had never considered her once-a-day drink an issue but felt sure it wasn't helping.

Her best friend had come to the same realization. She advised Ms. Marshall to read Holly Whitaker's 2019 book "Quit Like a Woman," which notes that while using alcohol as a coping mechanism might feel like it's helping, ultimately it's hurting. Ms. Marshall and her friend cut out the booze and began doing daily meditations.

It wasn't long before she noticed she was sleeping better, had more energy and was far less irritable. Her productivity was through the roof-no time lost to drinking or to even the slightest of hangovers. "I was like, 'Oh my God, from that one drink?'" she says. The friends had set a goal of not drinking for 21 days, but nearly 10 months later, neither has looked back. "On top of all of that, my husband isn't working this year for pandemic-related reasons, and we are saving a ton of money," says Ms. Marshall. "Oh, and I have abs again!"









Giving Up Alcohol in the Era of Covid-19


Drinking is on the rise as a response to stress, but a growing number of people are choosing to give up alcohol before it becomes a problem.




www.wsj.com


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## Flyer (Jan 25, 2004)

I certainly sleep better if I don't drink the evening before. Over that last 2-3 years, I have practically given up alcohol except some red wine when we go visit a friend who collects good wine. I don't miss it it all and the odd thing is that I have lost the taste for alcohol. What once sounded quite good, does not sound good anymore. Good bourbon and scotch, good gin and tonic, good beer and wine...all don't sound good anymore. I figure that isn't a bad thing at all. Post ride beers for my buddies- I may have one but I usually take my own kombucha or iced tea type things...anything cold and fizzy works.


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## speedygz (May 12, 2020)

Couldn't give up one of life's greatest pleasures, when used in moderation. I can when required, stopped for a year after an accident and a couple of small bleeds on the brain, again for about 18 months after another surgery, and another 18 months abstinence to give my busted hip the absolute best chance of recovery. In my case, I reckon Pepsi/Coke knocks me around as bad, or a bit worse. I can't think of anything more enjoyable than a nice cold can of IPA/XPA after a few hours of strenuous exercise. Yeah, it's not good for you, but neither is pretty much everything else in our modern lifestyle.


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## Wheelspeed (Jan 12, 2006)

Kudos. I'd like to, but I feel insanely bored often. When I go away on a mtb weekend or motorcycle weekend, I don't drink much despite those weekend-oriented trips being with old friends that I only see once or twice a year (so a festive element besides just the activity itself). But Covid stopping the group rides hurt last year. Some group rides started back up, so I need to get back into that habit... Hopefully soon since spring is here and if this rain goes away from Pittsburgh! Thanks for your post... I'll at least try to reduce because I know the benefits are there.


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## targnik (Jan 11, 2014)

I think he swore!?

Tut... tut...

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## NorCal_In_AZ (Sep 26, 2019)

I had to give up alcohol in 2017, from a near death case of pancreatitis. In the last 3 years I’ve watched the NA craft beer market explode. I don’t miss the alcohol portion too much. Yeah I miss the relaxing feeling of 2-3 beers on a weekend, but I don’t miss the effects on the next day. Sleep is easier, I generally feel better overall, and I don’t drink so many calories.


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## Shark (Feb 4, 2006)

The poor kids....
Home schooled by day drinkers....

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## edubfromktown (Sep 7, 2010)

I've definitely increased alcohol consumption since the start of the pandemic and plan to reset by either cutting way back or giving up booze altogether starting next week (after returning from business travel).

The way I kick started it in the past was by way of the Whole 30 "dietary regimen" (no added sugar or artificial sweeteners, alcohol, grains, legumes or dairy). Note: I have no interest in drinking non-alcoholic brews or mixed drink substitutes... very plain fizzy water with slight hint of fruit flavoring works for me.

My wife who is an infrequent social drinker (and gym rat/fitness junkie) also benefits from Whole 30 for very different reasons. She has a bad combo of hiatal hernia and GERD. She takes prescription meds for it that are no cure- just dramatically reduces the frequency of flare ups (at the expense of bone density and other potential side effects).

Her condition improves substantially when she stays away from dairy and other items on the Whole 30 list- to the point where her GI doctor is okay with her backing off of the meds.


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## RMCDan (Feb 28, 2008)

Alcohol is definitely a terrible drug. Almost no other common drugs are outright poisonous like ethanol is. You're much better off following Dr. Carl Hart's advice and sticking to safer drugs like weed, psychedelics, cocaine, methamphetamine, and heroin.

_"I am an unapologetic drug user. I take drugs as part of my pursuit of happiness, and they work. I am a happier and better person because of them. I am also a scientist and a professor of psychology specializing in neuroscience at Columbia University, known for my work on drug abuse and addiction. It has taken me more than two decades to come out of the closet about my personal drug use. Simply put, I have been a coward._









Drug Use for Grown-Ups: Chasing Liberty in the Land of Fear - Kindle edition by Hart, Carl. Politics & Social Sciences Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.


Drug Use for Grown-Ups: Chasing Liberty in the Land of Fear - Kindle edition by Hart, Carl. Download it once and read it on your Kindle device, PC, phones or tablets. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading Drug Use for Grown-Ups: Chasing Liberty in the Land of Fear.



www.amazon.com


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## WHALENARD (Feb 21, 2010)

RMCDan said:


> Alcohol is definitely a terrible drug. Almost no other common drugs are outright poisonous like ethanol is. You're much better off following Dr. Carl Hart's advice and sticking to safer drugs like weed, psychedelics, cocaine, methamphetamine, and heroin.
> 
> _"I am an unapologetic drug user. I take drugs as part of my pursuit of happiness, and they work. I am a happier and better person because of them. I am also a scientist and a professor of psychology specializing in neuroscience at Columbia University, known for my work on drug abuse and addiction. It has taken me more than two decades to come out of the closet about my personal drug use. Simply put, I have been a coward._
> 
> ...


I like this guy, though I think meth is a disgusting drug for the idiot class.

I wonder if he has tenure and what if any repercussions he may face for coming out of the closet. I also can't help but wonder how many more citizens would have a healthy relationship with drugs versus whatever the hell we have now if it were not for the war on drugs and everything else that goes along with it. It truly amazes me that the Sacklers are billionaires juxtaposed against most citizens uninformed opinions on drugs. What a flippin joke.

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## RMCDan (Feb 28, 2008)

WHALENARD said:


> I like this guy, though I think meth is a disgusting drug for the idiot class.


I've never tried meth and wouldn't touch black market meth with a 100-ft pole, but if I could get pharmaceutical grade meth I'd try it in a hot minute just to see what the fuss was about (though I'd much rather have easy access to MDMA and mescaline). It's virtually identical to Adderall and Dexedrine which are prescribed to tens of millions of people every year. Amphetamines were everywhere for decades, just mostly in pill form from pharmaceutical companies. That was cracked down on in the '80s which led directly to the rise of illicitly-produced methamphetamine. The parallels with the opioid pill mill crackdown and the rise of heroin in the 21st century are painfully obvious. Popular perceptions of meth use also closely parallel crack hysteria in the '80s and '90s: https://www.opensocietyfoundations.o...d-20140218.pdf

Hell, meth is still legally available via prescription, it's a Schedule II drug. The brand name is Desoxyn. The big problem with all stimulants, caffeine included, is that people use them as a substitute for sleep and no good can come from that.

I'm pretty sure Hart does have tenure, and he is taking a serious risk being open about his drug use. Much more so than Michael Pollan.

To be clear, I fully acknowledge that drugs carry risks, and those risks are higher for some drugs than others. The question is whether the fiscal and social costs of prohibition outweigh the fiscal and social costs of the drugs themselves. 50 years into the Drug War I think we have ample evidence that the cure is worse than the disease, even for heroin, et al. It would be far preferable for people with drug problems to not have the criminal justice system involved on top of it. When a decorated PhD drug researcher who has done foundational work in the field, and who grew up in a drug-addled Miami ghetto, is saying we'd be better off just legalizing and regulating everything I'm inclined to trust that science.

Also, this is America goddammit. Land of the f%$king Free. We could save tens of thousands of lives and life-threatening injuries every year with better public transportation, but we don't, because freedom. Tens of thousands of gun deaths every year and we do nothing, because freedom. Tannerite is legal. Numerous activities that are objectively addictive and far more dangerous than drugs, like BASE jumping, are perfectly legal. Drugs are not so uniquely and overwhelmingly dangerous that they require such a massive oppression of personal freedom and expenditure of public resources. Far from it. Drugs are just about the only dangerous thing I can think of where society has decided that because a minority of stupid people can't handle their sh!t no one should ever be allowed to have them.

It makes no sense...until you remember that the War on Drugs was never about public health in the first place:

_ "The Nixon campaign in 1968, and the Nixon White House after that, had two enemies: the antiwar left and black people. You understand what I'm saying? We knew we couldn't make it illegal to be either against the war or black, but by getting the public to associate the hippies with marijuana and blacks with heroin. And then criminalizing both heavily, we could disrupt those communities. We could arrest their leaders, raid their homes, break up their meetings, and vilify them night after night on the evening news. Did we know we were lying about the drugs? Of course we did." _

-John Ehrlichman, former Nixon domestic policy chief

The political and racist underpinnings of the drug war go back way further than that (https://timeline.com/harry-anslinger...x-fb5cbc281189), but no one in modern times has ever laid it out quite as explicitly and succinctly as Ehrlichman.


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## WHALENARD (Feb 21, 2010)

I wholeheartedly agree with your post, and very well said. 

I guess "meth" is a very loosely defined product and in that I was speaking to street meth. 

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## unrooted (Jul 31, 2007)

I ate an eighth of mushrooms 2 years ago and ever since I can’t finish a second beer. I never had a problem with alcohol, but in social settings I could easily drink 3-4 beers, but for whatever reason the second one doesn’t taste good at all to me now. I also haven’t had a lot of social settings this last year. I am addicted to weed though, I can’t sleep without it.


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## huckleberry hound (Feb 27, 2015)

Flyer said:


> I certainly sleep better if I don't drink the evening before. Over that last 2-3 years, I have practically given up alcohol except some red wine when we go visit a friend who collects good wine. I don't miss it it all and the odd thing is that I have lost the taste for alcohol. What once sounded quite good, does not sound good anymore. Good bourbon and scotch, good gin and tonic, good beer and wine...all don't sound good anymore. I figure that isn't a bad thing at all. Post ride beers for my buddies- I may have one but I usually take my own kombucha or iced tea type things...anything cold and fizzy works.


Try an ice cold Topo Chico from the long neck glass bottle. It is the best post ride drink ever! It is a sparkling mineral water from Mexico.


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## Wakarisu (8 mo ago)

Many people became addicted to alcohol during the pandemic outbreak because, in this way, people tried to drown out feelings of fear and uncertainty. I started drinking a bottle of wine every night back in May 2020, and it became an addiction. When it was necessary to return to the office again, I realized that I was no longer in control of myself and decided to turn to the website theluckiestclub.com to understand how to get rid of alcoholism. The advice of those who were able to get rid of addiction helped me, and now I can live my old life again.


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## TwiceHorn (Jun 18, 2014)

As a nearly 25-year sober recover(ing)(ed) alcoholic, I and most of my fellow travelers feel that we were born this way. That there is a strong genetic/hereditary component to alcoholism/addiction. No one can prove it either way.

I often wonder if it is possible to drink/use your way into "full-blown" addiction without that component. Every human being will acquire tolerance and suffer withdrawal with prolonged use, and some people have a harder time making it through withdrawal than others. The thing that most characterizes the "full-blown" alcoholic/addict is that they make it through the withdrawal and achieve abstinence, yet through cravings and other phenomena of dependence, will pretty inexplicably return to usage.

I think a lot of the current opiate "addiction" is not full-blown addiction, but rather people who cannot suffer through the admittedly brutal withdrawal and continue to use to stave that off, in some cases to the point of overdose, made particularly easy these days by the presence of fentanyl in seemingly all street drugs.

And the social milieu of usage has a lot to do with relapse. With meth in particular, it seems that most users are thoroughly mired in a community of users, making it hard to achieve long-term or permanent abstinence. The same can be said about alcohol, to an extent, but tweaking seems to really be a lifestyle, moreso than the ubiquity of alcohol.

In any event, I think it's dangerous and foolish to attempt to distinguish among addictive drugs and deem one worse or safer than the other. Whether you become a full-blown addict or not, there's still lots of potential to ruin your life, or even inadvertently end it.


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## cyclelicious (Oct 7, 2008)

Interesting Opinion piece. It's a good question

*Alcohol use is linked to cancer — so why aren’t there warnings on bottles?*









Sen. Patrick Brazeau is open about his past of substance abuse and surviving a suicide attempt in 2016.

“When I woke up, I had told myself that I would give back in some way, and so I started doing some research about alcohol and cancer,” the Quebec senator said in a recent interview with the Star.

To his amazement, Brazeau said, he learned about the links between even moderate consumption of alcohol and several types of cancer.

That research led to his bill recently tabled in the Senate, that would place labels on alcohol that would warn of links to cancer — similar to those found on cigarette packages — and remind consumers about low-risk drinking guidelines and how many standard drinks are contained in the package of alcohol being sold.

Brazeau, who famously fought Justin Trudeau in a 2012 boxing match to raise funds for cancer research, said his labels bill is another way of honouring his mother, who died of lung cancer in 2004.

“Why is it, that in 2022, the great majority of Canadians don’t know that the consumption of even just a little bit of alcohol can cause a lot of cancers?” Brazeau said.

“This is a fight against cancer. It’s not a fight against the alcohol industry, but as an industry they have a responsibility to all Canadian consumers about being open, transparent and honest about what their product actually is and what it can actually do to people.”

The most recent data shows alcohol causes nearly 7,000 cancer deaths in Canada each year, according to a report in August from the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA), which has been mandated by Heath Canada to update the country’s low-risk drinking guidelines. 
“The fact that alcohol is a carcinogen that can cause at least seven types of cancer is often unknown or overlooked,” the report states, highlighting breast, colon, rectum, mouth and throat, liver, esophagus and larynx cancer.

Brazeau’s bill and a similar motion in the House of Commons from New Democrat MP Lisa Marie Barron come as updated low-risk drinking guidelines are set to be released early next year.

The CCSA concluded that two drinks a week constitute low risk from developing negative health consequences. Those proposed guidelines were then opened up to public consultations that have now concluded, with the final guidance expected in January.

Two drinks a week would be a significant shift from Health Canada’s current guidelines dating to 2011, which recommend no more than two drinks a day or 10 a week for women, and a maximum of three drinks a day or 15 a week for men.

“The reality is that alcohol literacy is very low in this country,” said Catherine Paradis, the centre’s interim associate director, research, and co-chair of the project to update the guidelines.

“Very few people are aware that alcohol can cause cancer and all too many people think that alcohol can protect against cardiovascular disease.”

Given that new guidelines are coming, Paradis said health warnings on alcohol would “be useful if only because they would help to explain to people why they should count their drinks, and why perhaps they should consider their alcohol use.”

The centre’s report acknowledges the new guidance “will be surprising and unsettling to large segments of the population,” Paradis said, “but they have a right to know. That’s the whole point.

“We’re not coming out to tell people how they should drink or provide strict rules, but providing them information because they have the right to know, just like they have the right to know that tobacco can cause cancer.”

Industry groups strongly pushed back against a 2017 study in Yukon that involved warning labels on liquor containers, leading to the study’s duration being cut short.

They argued in statements to the Star that labels are ineffective at informing consumers about risks.

Beer Canada said beer sold in Canada already displays its alcohol content, “providing more helpful information to consumers than the number of standard drinks,” as the definition of standard drinks varies around the world.


Spirits Canada said a better way to provide information is through links to websites that provide more detailed information. “Cancer is a complex disease with multiple contributing factors which are challenging to convey effectively in a warning label on a container,” president and CEO Jan Westcott said in an email.

Wine Growers Canada argued that warning labels would be less likely to reach people in bars, and also expressed interest in providing consumers access to information through digital means.

Tim Stockwell, the co-principal investigator of the Yukon study, argued that when packaging refers people to websites instead of providing information, few people will actually use those sources.

“As a stand-alone, it is incredibly ineffective,” said Stockwell, a former director of the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research.

The NDP’s Barron, who previously worked in addictions, said her motion in the House for a warning label strategy attempts to address “the real gap in current federal leadership to actually put in place mechanisms” for Canadians to have easy access to information about alcohol.

“We can’t also discount the impact that lobbyists and industry have had in pressuring for this not to happen,” Barron said in an interview.

“This is a public health and safety issue, and yet we have a government that’s allowing industry to decide what information Canadians have access to.”

Mental Health and Addictions Minister Carolyn Bennett would not commit to warning labels when asked at an unrelated announcement in Ottawa, but said the government will work on a plan to raise awareness about alcohol consumption, given the incoming new guidance on drinking.

“I think people do want to know what they are ingesting,” Bennett said. “I think people do want to be making educated decisions on consumption.”

Health Canada says it recognizes alcohol use “can have significant health consequences including liver, breast, throat and stomach cancer, as well as other health, social and economic impacts.”


In a statement to the Star, the federal agency said it is aware “of the growing calls for effective policy interventions to reduce alcohol-related harms in Canada” and is supporting research, including funding provided to the Yukon study.

The results of that study “will contribute to the evidence on labelling and inform possible future policy decisions,” it said.

Led by the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research and Public Health Ontario, the Yukon study placed labels on alcohol at a liquor store in Whitehorse that included information on standard drinks, safe consumption and the link between alcohol and certain cancers. The study compared the Whitehorse store with a Yellowknife store that had no labels.

“Our research supported the effectiveness of the labels used in the Yukon study,” said Stockwell.

“Specifically, they increased awareness of adverse health effects, prompted people to consider reducing their drinking, and led to a seven per cent reduction in per capita alcohol consumption in Whitehorse compared with control areas.”

The labels were brief and bilingual, set on a red and yellow background, with one indicating that “The Chief Medical Officer of Health advises that alcohol can cause cancer, including breast and colon cancers.” Another indicated the current low-risk drinking guidelines.

Liberal MP Brendan Hanley, who was Yukon’s top doctor at the time of the study, said he supports Barron’s motion and sees warning labels as one important part of a plan to raise awareness around alcohol consumption.

There is a need for a “national approach” on labels, Hanley said. “I think Health Canada would be the logical place for this to occur.”

Brazeau said it shouldn’t fall to a senator to have to do the government’s job of mandating warning labels across the country. Bills introduced in the Senate often face an uphill battle in being passed into law.


“I have about 27 years left in the Senate if my health is good, and so I will be at this, and if need be I will reintroduce this bill for the next 27 years,” he said, “but hopefully there will be a government in place to see the need and importance to have alcohol warning labels here in Canada.”









Alcohol use is linked to cancer — so why aren’t there warnings on bottles?


A Canadian senator has introduced a bill that would place labels on alcohol to warn of links to cancer and remind consumers about low-risk drinking guidelines and how many standard drinks are contained in the package.




www.thestar.com


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## cyclelicious (Oct 7, 2008)

*Why people don’t drink: It’s none of your business*










t's holiday season, a time of year for celebration.

So here's a friendly reminder that "holiday" and "celebration" need not be synonyms for "drinking."

Canadians are big drinkers, consuming 50 per cent more alcohol than the global average. Our reputation as a nation of beer drinkers is well earned. The average Canadian adult knocks back 76 litres of beer, 16 litres of wine, five litres of spirits and four litres of other alcoholic beverages annually. But averages don't tell the whole story.

There are about 22 million Canadians who consume alcohol. Roughly 3.1 million people drink to the point of risking immediate physical harm (often binge drinking), and another 4.4 million drink to excess so routinely that they suffer chronic health problems as a result. Drinking is not always good fun.

One in four Canadian adults is a teetotaler – seven million in total – and that number is growing. The holidays can be hellish for them, given the relentless social pressure to imbibe and the constant interrogations. There are many reasons people don't drink. None of them are any of your business.

People's relationship with alcohol is complicated. For non-drinkers, it is often even more complicated. The most common assumption is that teetotalers are former alcoholics. For the most part, they are not.

An estimated 600,000 are physically dependent on alcohol, what we commonly call alcoholism. It's not clear how many people are former alcoholics, but given the poor rates of abstinence among those who were once addicted, it's likely a small percentage of non-drinkers.

"Are you an alcoholic?" is not an appropriate question for someone you've just met. If people want to tell you about their 12-step success, they will. But don't pry; it's obnoxious and rude. When young women don't drink, it's often assumed they are pregnant or trying to conceive. Here's some advice you can take to the bank: Don't question a woman about her reproductive status, ever.

A common reason people don't drink is their religious beliefs. Major religions like Islam and Sikhism eschew alcohol, as do some Christian denominations, such as Mormons and Baptists. Other religions preach moderation.

There are also a range of health reasons. Some people are allergic to alcohol. Allergy to sulfites (found in wine) can be life-threatening and exacerbate the symptoms of asthma and migraines. It is unwise, dangerous even, to consume alcohol if you are taking certain prescription medications, including heart drugs, pain medications, and cold and flu treatments.

Alcohol also contains a lot of empty calories, so it's kryptonite for people trying to lose or maintain weight. A beer is about 150 calories, a glass of wine 120 calories and a shot (1.5 ounces of spirits) 100 calories, not counting any mix. Those numbers can add up quickly.

Some teetotalers simply don't like the taste of alcohol, the same way some people don't like the taste of broccoli. Others don't like the cost, and alcohol is pricey.

Of course, you will have read that drinking is good for your health. While moderate drinking is associated with better health, moderate drinkers tend to have healthier lifestyles overall, so it's difficult to tease out the role of that daily glass of wine. Also, if one thing is clear in the research, it is that there is no benefit in non-drinkers starting to drink.

Let's not forget that most people who drink do so responsibly – that's about 14.5 million Canadians. They are not the ones who end up in the ER after a fight or in jail after driving while impaired. If anything, they should see non-drinkers as allies.

Abstinence is not that different from moderation. Teetotalers and moderate drinkers alike are making a choice, a difficult choice in a society where alcohol is the prime social lubricant. Yet those who have opted for a no-hangover lifestyle are often viewed as social pariahs in some circles – as moralistic and anti-fun. For some reason, alcohol is the one drug you have to justify not taking.

One last thing: Just because someone is sober doesn't mean they want to drive 30 minutes out of their way to take you home in your drunken state. Designated driver is a role that many non-drinkers take on willingly. But it should be a respected role, not the booby prize.

So this holiday season, when you raise a glass, make a little effort to welcome those who opt for a mocktail, a soft drink, or a sparkling water into the festive ritual.









Why people don’t drink: It’s none of your business


Teetotalers and moderate drinkers alike are making a choice – a difficult choice in a society where alcohol is the prime social lubricant




www.theglobeandmail.com


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## mack_turtle (Jan 6, 2009)

For some reason, I recently started getting headaches after just one drink. One beer, a whiskey, a glass of wine. Instant hangover. It's weird, but if I quit the moderate amount of drinking I do now, that will not be a bad thing.


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## plummet (Jul 8, 2005)

I never started. Made a decision at 15 not to drink. So I didn't.
It was hard through my late teens and 20's because everyone else drunk, there was a big drinking culture back then. But then not drinking became more popular and now its almost ordinary.


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## WHALENARD (Feb 21, 2010)

Sounds like I need to party in Canada 😉


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## mack_turtle (Jan 6, 2009)

I never drank until I was 22 or 23 and married. Had tons of fun with everyone regardless, and most of my friends were ardent non-drinkers as well.


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## davec113 (May 31, 2006)

mack_turtle said:


> For some reason, I recently started getting headaches after just one drink. One beer, a whiskey, a glass of wine. Instant hangover. It's weird, but if I quit the moderate amount of drinking I do now, that will not be a bad thing.


Same with me, happened a long time ago, at some point your body just can't process the acetaldehyde (ethanol's 1st metabolite) properly and this is what leads to hangover, and it can happen almost immediately after a drink. It also can disrupt sleep. This means your liver probably needs a break, or it's just down to aging. 

A few years ago I started taking a supplement regimen including NMN, resveratrol and some other stuff to improve mitochondrial health and function, possibly mitigate aging to some degree. Now, for better or worse, I can drink again without this issue, I don't get hangovers or have any issues with sleep, but I try not to overdo it. 

I think this is the main reason drinking can have such a negative effect on some folks but it seems to effect others far less, it's just down to the body's ability to metabolize alcohol.


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## huckinberryfinn (Mar 24, 2021)

Great articles! Just hit 3 years.


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## MUSTCLIME (Jan 26, 2004)

Better a bottle in front or me that a frontal Lobotomy…. That was a lot of typing, I need a drink….


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## WHALENARD (Feb 21, 2010)

davec113 said:


> Same with me, happened a long time ago, at some point your body just can't process the acetaldehyde (ethanol's 1st metabolite) properly and this is what leads to hangover, and it can happen almost immediately after a drink. It also can disrupt sleep. This means your liver probably needs a break, or it's just down to aging.
> 
> A few years ago I started taking a supplement regimen including NMN, resveratrol and some other stuff to improve mitochondrial health and function, possibly mitigate aging to some degree. Now, for better or worse, I can drink again without this issue, I don't get hangovers or have any issues with sleep, but I try not to overdo it.
> 
> I think this is the main reason drinking can have such a negative effect on some folks but it seems to effect others far less, it's just down to the body's ability to metabolize alcohol.


Good stuff👍

In addition to NAD, PQQ & acetyl L-Carnitine show promise in lengthening mitochondrial telomeres.

N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine plays a major roll in the conversion of ethanol to acetyl aldehyde. Also, Glycine has been shown to have significant impact on alcohol's effect on the liver. Abstaining for at least 30 days (or longer) has regenerative effects as well.


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## mlx john (Mar 22, 2010)

RMCDan said:


> It makes no sense...until you remember that the War on Drugs was never about public health in the first place:
> 
> _Did we know we were lying about the drugs? Of course we did." _
> 
> ...


I don't mind good bourbon or scotch drink once in a blue moon. Usually on bro MTB trips, or when out to dinner with my wife. Drug of choice is weed (if you couldn't tell from my avatar) in the form of a vape cartridge, or gummy. Also, was a big fan of LSD, shrooms and mescaline in my youth.

Fortunately marijuana is legal where I live, so there are some regulatory quality/safety controls in place.
Wouldn't buy/trust a black market cartridge from a bodega in NYC.

Anyway, no hangover is a bonus.

Of course the powers that be were heavily invested in making sure that drugs that potentially elevate consciousness stayed out of the hands of the people. Also not very interested in educating the people.
A couple of fun facts:
"75% of states in the US have more prisons or jails than colleges or universities in 2022"
"The U.S. spends more on prisons and jails than it does on educating children – and 15 states spend at least $27,000 more per prisoner than they do per student, according to a new report.

Americans account for 4.4 percent of the global population, but 22 percent of the world’s prison population."

Jazz musicians (who were mostly black initially), hippies, beatniks, artists, rock music and Carl Sagan....huge threats to the status quo.

Here's a funny scene that's kind of wraps the establishment's stance against "reefer madness" in a nice bow.


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## cyclelicious (Oct 7, 2008)

^ There was a recent survey done in the UK that found alcohol is losing it's "cool" .



> According to a 2022 survey from Drinkaware, 26 percent of 16 to 24-year-olds in the UK are now “fully teetotal”. In August, a report from KAM and Lucky Saint found that almost a third of all pub visits are now alcohol-free. This isn't a new or sudden shift either: The non-alcoholic beverages market has grown by over 506 percent since 2015, and Google searches for "sober curious" peaked in 2021 following the pandemic. Stories about Gen Z and even millennials becoming sick of drinking have barely left the news cycle.


The article implies that younger people don't have the time or money. They seem to like Ketamine, weed and mushrooms (these don't cause hangovers) 

Interesting perspective 









How Alcohol Lost Its Cool


A third of pub visits are now alcohol-free, but drinking has been losing its cred in pop culture for a while now.




www.vice.com


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## _CJ (May 1, 2014)

I drink. Sometimes more, sometimes less, sometimes not at all. It's just not a big deal for me to _not_ drink - for weeks or months, or to drink every day if I'm so inclined. Generally, I'm at my best mentally and physically with a few days on, a few days off.

The whole cancer link and negative health correlation scare tactics in general are just a bunch of bunk, generated by anti-alcohol activists. Those who couldn't control themselves with alcohol and it becomes their mission to stop everyone else from drinking too, and often those with some sort of religious conflict. The facts are that people who drink live longer on average than those who don't. And non-drinkers and former drinkers have a higher incidence of cancer than even heavy drinkers, but they always forget to mention that in those "drinking gives you cancer" articles.

Drinking is a lot like veganism. Abstaining from alcohol or meat won't make you live longer, it'll just feel like it.


.


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## stripes (Sep 6, 2016)

cyclelicious said:


> ^ There was a recent survey done in the UK that found alcohol is losing it's "cool" .
> 
> The article implies that younger people don't have the time or money. They seem to like Ketamine, weed and mushrooms (these don't cause hangovers)
> 
> ...


Japan too. Younger people there are less likely to drink, which in honesty is really good given how bad the drinking culture is there too. It looks like drinking had the opposite impact on Japan than the US in drinking that the government is trying to get more people to drink.



https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/19/world/asia/japan-alcohol-contest.html


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## _CJ (May 1, 2014)

What effect does the legalization of MJ, or the widespread availability of other recreational drugs have on alcohol consumption among young people?

Are more young people living the sober life, or just choosing other substances?

.


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## Suns_PSD (Dec 13, 2013)

After decades of steady drinking, my wife and I completely quit about 7 weeks ago with the idea that it was a temporary time off.

I was more moderate in my drinking but the dark spots under my eyes are notably lessened, and I feel stronger on the bike, fresher in the mornings, sharper at work. Also, my breathe is fresh in the mornings.

My wife on the other hand who struggled much more with alcohol, looks 10+ years younger and has regained motivation that she hasn't possessed in years. She sleeps better, feels better, looks better. She is ALL in and is pretty much swearing off alcohol. Pretty amazing from someone who couldn't really stop just 2 months ago. For her, she was just bummed that she was aging and not drinking made such a difference, that was a big motivator for her.

Our time together is much more quality as well, without drinking we go to bed earlier, talk more, make love more, and generally just are better overall partners and parents.

We have not sworn off alcohol forever, but it's certainly not going to be a central part of our lives moving forward.

It's an adaption to learn to have fun and be social without alcohol, but it comes surprisingly quickly. The first few days were tough, it was a large struggle at 2 weeks because it felt like I had 'proven it', but actually after a month I really stopped carrying for it. And a single drink 1 night left me realizing it didn't taste nearly as good, nor did I enjoy the effects nearly as much as I had recalled, and my wife had the same conclusion.


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## WHALENARD (Feb 21, 2010)

I take from 4 to 8 weeks off a year. After 3 days it's hard for me to differentiate any difference. Around week 5 or 6 I conclude it's a net positive to my life. Perhaps as I age more I will feel differently. 

One thing to note with generations is that they shrink one generation to the next The last two generations are comparatively so small that the impacts on the future are going to be very interesting.


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## Sanchofula (Dec 30, 2007)

I see a lot of people who drink alcohol, most drink in moderation, some drink in excess, the only time it's a problem is when it causes a problem.

I expect we can all agree that alcohol is neither good for you nor necessary, but it's a very common and socially accepted drug, so it's use is widespread.

I'm a teetotaler, I haven't drank alcohol for over twenty years. I stopped drinking because I answered the question: Why do you drink?

I had no reason to drink, so I stopped.

I can think of many reason why people shouldn't drink, but I can't think of a single reason why people should drink.

... and yes, I'm shrinking


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## Tallboy723 (4 mo ago)

I still drink at social event and have a glass a bourbon at home 1-2 times a week. I’ve definitely cut back on the bourbon. Sold off much of what I had. I found what I like and I don’t need to try anymore bourbon. Nothing really makes the cut compared to what I like. Anyway some nights I just want a pour to wind down.


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