Not an easy subject. We all want to hear that what gives us pleasure is not "bad". Sometimes is not, sometimes it is and sometimes is a little...
My opinion in this case is that the WHO message, is the most sensate.
A health organisation's (Country or worldwide) message or recommendation must be "universal". That means that it must fulfill "precaution principle" and "cause no harm" to any single subject as a norm.
WHO message is directed to "all manhood", with all the physiologies, habits, cultures and living factors in the whole world. It must be a "one size fits all" independent of any particularly.
Not everybody is physically equal and the effects of ingestion of an intoxicating substance as alcohol can be different in every individual, specially in the most sensible ones.
Everyone's particular health, genetics, physical or particular sensitivities are like a lottery ticket (reversed). If by any chance your body is heavily affected by alcohol (by genetics or by past events), even small quantities can cause harm. If you "win the lottery" you have to live with it, even without knowing "you have won the big price", because lots of people do not know. From "Permissive" (in quotes) messages an individual may find a justification to keeping an harmful habit in its case. Messages with exceptions are too long, hard to understand and easily misinterpreted. Short and strong is easy.
And yes, I am a social drinker. Free decisions need knowledge. No knowledge, no liberty.
No need to apologize. You make a good point: Variability among individuals requires that organizations like the WHO frame their health advice cautiously. Creating advice that's both realistic and maximally protective is complicated by inconsistencies and limitations in the scientific data.
Sorry long reply. Apologies.
Not an easy subject. We all want to hear that what gives us pleasure is not "bad". Sometimes is not, sometimes it is and sometimes is a little...
My opinion in this case is that the WHO message, is the most sensate.
A health organisation's (Country or worldwide) message or recommendation must be "universal". That means that it must fulfill "precaution principle" and "cause no harm" to any single subject as a norm.
WHO message is directed to "all manhood", with all the physiologies, habits, cultures and living factors in the whole world. It must be a "one size fits all" independent of any particularly.
Not everybody is physically equal and the effects of ingestion of an intoxicating substance as alcohol can be different in every individual, specially in the most sensible ones.
Everyone's particular health, genetics, physical or particular sensitivities are like a lottery ticket (reversed). If by any chance your body is heavily affected by alcohol (by genetics or by past events), even small quantities can cause harm. If you "win the lottery" you have to live with it, even without knowing "you have won the big price", because lots of people do not know. From "Permissive" (in quotes) messages an individual may find a justification to keeping an harmful habit in its case. Messages with exceptions are too long, hard to understand and easily misinterpreted. Short and strong is easy.
And yes, I am a social drinker. Free decisions need knowledge. No knowledge, no liberty.
Sorry for long post. My bad...
No need to apologize. You make a good point: Variability among individuals requires that organizations like the WHO frame their health advice cautiously. Creating advice that's both realistic and maximally protective is complicated by inconsistencies and limitations in the scientific data.
great deep dive. one of my friends is doing "sober october" and i hope this is helping her
Thanks for a detailed and unbiased analysis of the data on this important health topic.