Title of an article appearing in the March 28, 2019 issue of The viewer By Christopher Snowden, “The Campaign to Make Alcohol ‘The New Tobacco'” seems to be more than a shot in the bow of all things alcohol. Over the last decade there has been an increase in bereavement research results purporting the benefits or dangers of alcohol use. Now the anti-alcoholic contingent seems to be increasing their claims through studies, which may be more flawed than the claims in pro-alcoholic research. In short, any investigation can be manipulated; The devil is in the details. There certainly seems to be flaws in all investigations; What are we to believe?

The wine industry should take the attack on alcohol seriously; it is gaining acceptance and credibility, no matter how contrived the research and resulting messages. Remember when research once dictated that coffee was a real health problem? Current research says that coffee is an antioxidant and is healthy; drink all you want. Just reflect for a moment on all the things that were once believed to be beneficial and are now considered harmful and vice versa. There was a time when butter was bad and margarine was better, now we are told that the chemicals in margarine are much worse than the natural fats in butter.

Having followed the studies of wine, since the French Paradox (1980) and the protests about the various effects of wine on health, it now seems that there are orchestrated campaigns to denounce that all alcohol consumption is harmful. “Two widely reported studies in the lancet stated that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption. The evidence in these studies, such as it was, didn’t really support that claim,” Snowden says. What are we to believe? Still, it seems that the media, academia and the medical establishment have focused on most of the studies against alcohol.and become an ambassador for the new “anti” cause.The anti-alcohol movement is now between doctor and patient.Every time I go to the doctor they ask me if I drink wine, beer or spirits and how often. Why and when did I do this start?And, yes, people have died from drinking too much water!

In relation to the article mentioned above, the author, Dr. Alex Berezow, writing for the “American Council on Science and Health” in 2018, seems to highlight many flaws in the same study. Before an oenophile succumbs to utter confusion, in short, don’t trust everything he reads about negative facts about wine and health. The wine industry will also need to anticipate changes in trends related to how various demographic groups perceive wine.

The elephant in the room today, that no one in the media wants to talk about, is the effects of cannabis: smoking or ingesting. Many of those who shout about the negative effects of wine seem to be ignorant of cannabis. So why aren’t the media and researchers in a full-blown frontal attack on the health effects of cannabis? The general impression that many accept is that cannabis is harmless from a physiological point of view, to the point that people in the media and the government dismiss research that indicates otherwise. Even some wines and beers now come infused with chemical compounds that originate from cannabis.

Sam Blanchard, writing for online mail on April 4, 2019, comments on a study on alcohol authored by Professor Kent Hutchison, of the University of Colorado Boulder, who said, “While marijuana can have some negative consequences as well, it’s definitely nowhere near the consequences.” alcohol negatives. “The problem is that the study also raises many more questions than the selective facts show. One question would be: why was alcohol studied in people who drank heavily while the participants who used marijuana were mostly light users? ” ask Blanchard.

Ultimately: is cannabis entering the wine industry setting a trap for wine? The answer probably lies in how the industry responds.

Snowden makes another point worth considering. When research on alcohol-related cancers is compared with cancers associated with smokers, there appears to be no statistical or epidemiological relevance. “Epidemiological studies have shown a strong and consistent association between moderate alcohol consumption and lower Mortality, mainly thanks to lower rates of cardiovascular disease. So, on the one hand, we have decades of epidemiological evidence backed by biological experiments showing that moderate alcohol consumption reduces the risk of death from heart disease by 15 to 30 percent, and on the other hand, we have a leaner diet. body of epidemiologic evidence suggesting that moderate alcohol consumption may have a small effect on breast cancer risk,” Snowden explained.

Whatever the reason, portraying any alcoholic product as evil has been a part of the American landscape since the late 19th century. Prohibition arose in 1919 and lasted until 1933. It seems that every industry has an “anti” influence driving the momentum of the cause. We find these kinds of forces in politics, religion, and even medicine. Now the wine is under a new attack; Positive research is ruled out and “anti” is the cause-celebrity. (Anti is defined as: people opposed to a party, policy, attitude, etc.)

Here’s some old-fashioned but still welcome news. “Red wine and the antioxidant in red wine called resveratrol may be heart-healthy,” the Mayo Clinic staff says. “Several studies have shown that moderate amounts of all types of alcohol benefit the heart, not just the alcohol found in red wine.”

Regardless of what is driving the current research and conversation about wine and alcohol, it is a fact that the conversation has shifted from promoting moderation in alcohol consumption to proclaiming that alcohol at any level is destructive to the body. But why would anyone now dismiss and even ignore the positive research on the benefits of wine? There are articles on the web touting the benefits of wine, such as Tehrene Firman’s “80 Amazing Benefits of Wine” from October 2017. Some of the most prominent benefits of wine relate to heart health and cognitive function. However, the contradictions in the studies are obvious, prevalent, and widely believed; Lack of solid research methods.

On the contrary, I found an article that highlighted 23 negative effects of wine/alcohol when consumed in excess. The key word is “excess”. The key to internalizing all the negative studies on wine and alcohol is that most of the studies touch on the theme of binge drinking. As noted, it is also a fact that people have died from excessive water consumption.

It was interesting to see how far people go to brutalize wine. A negative article, pointing out the negative effects of wine, due to the types of chemicals used in the vineyards. But isn’t that true for most? all food produced in the soil? Strange sense of logic. Current wisdom about alcohol, especially about health, is subject to change; and it will probably change.

The alcoholic beverage industry has several genres: beer, spirits, wine, and kombucha; even within these there are variations such as cider and hybrid blends. Kombucha is an interesting drink because it is positioned as a “healthy” drink that is a fermented product of tea and contains various levels of alcohol; some as high as 7%. So is there a contradiction in kombucha being positioned as healthy? It is consumed by people who proclaim the health benefits of this drink; but it still contains alcohol.

Perhaps any course of action or response by the wine industry could be an overreaction. Consider, maybe the inaction caused the Prohibition?

Should a renewed approach by the wine industry be deemed appropriate, the response must be timely, educated, fact-based, ongoing, and aware of a changing market; “Anti” causes are always alive and require answers. Also, recognize that alcohol-consuming millennials are concerned about alcohol levels and health issues. These 2 features are relatively new to the mix.

Still, what drives people to drink wine as a drink are:

• Kindness
• Entertainment-Enjoyment and complement to food.
• Celebration-Wine is the oldest alcoholic beverage and over the years it has always been a part of celebrations and commemorations.
• Culture-Many cultures have elevated wine to be the premium drink with food, family, and entertainment.

Digressing for a moment. The issue of cannabis is not mentioned to confuse the issue that alcohol is (some) intended to be totally harmful to the body under any circumstances. It’s just being pointed out that most investigations are occasionally weaponized to make a point based on an “anti” cause. The research still highlights that most people believe that “marijuana” has many negative cultural effects.

Mainly, problems with alcohol consumption seem to be more noticeable in the wine sector. The consumption of craft spirits in recent years has increased as well as craft beers. The wine has experienced a slight decline. “Wine Intelligence” reports a 5% decrease in wine consumption among millennials, and overall, there has been a 35% decrease in wine consumption by adults at least once a month.

In German-speaking Switzerland, surveys in 2013 found that 39% drank wine and in 2017 the wine-drinking population dropped to 27%.

“Drinks Business” reported in March 2019 that UK wine consumption decreased by 2% in 2016 compared to 2017. They attribute the decline to: US whiskey; demand for lower and non-alcoholic beverage preferences; and moderate consumption.

No one is recommending a campaign by alcohol producers to promote consumption. That being said, wine is a unique drink with a specific consumer profile, unlike beer and spirits. The wine industry could consider a personalized message for millennials; a demographic showing a decline in wine consumption. (Research indicates that millennials are more aware/responsive to health messages, costs, and consumption of alternative non-alcoholic beverages.) When the wine starts to hit 16% ABV, maybe there’s a problem.

When a business stops growing it starts to die; a quote that has been circulating. however, there is a degree of truth to this discussion. To ensure growth, perhaps the wine industry can allocate time and resources to promote and reinforce the message that wine has the longest history of all spirits. The positive research on the benefits of wine is impressive, well documented, and has a heritage in many cultures. Wine doesn’t approach inheritance or contribution to society like tobacco does. I doubt the voracity in any effort to make wine the new tobacco.

Health!