Interesting article. Particularly the point where he said that he "needed a reason to abstain totally"

When I was a kid, I used to see adults drinking at events and wonder why some of them got so drunk when they had paid to go and see something. Wind the clock on a few years, an I now find that I go to events as an excuse to have a few beers with my friends.

I often, half-jokingly describe myself as a functioning alcoholic, but every now and then I go on a complete break. When I do this I find I almost have to drop of the radar, as pretty much every social event I go to involves booze. If I do go out, it generally takes a couple of weeks for me to stop asking for a beer in a place as my first instinct, or being annoyed that I cant have one. During these breaks, my bank balance, sleep, health, and work generally improves, but I do get board.

Having said that, I've made most of my friends though pubs, sports, concerts, etc. These have all revolved around alcohol. So it's brought great benefits too. If I didn't have booze, I may have been richer, thinner, and more successful - but I'd regret missing out on all the fun.

I'm sure a lot of people have the same kind of relationship with beer. It just seems that there aren't many fun sociable activities that take place without it.

Fair enough smoking is bad but where does that stat come from.
I feel you can align a bad habit to any health condition.
Just convenient for the argument against it I suppose.

Alcohol plays a central part to many people's social time.
I have also worked in many places where there is a drinking culture, and if you are not part of that culture, you'll find it difficult to progress.

We find humour in drinking stories, when in fact they could be viewed as quite sad.

It can impact family time, functionality at work, without you even realising

Adrian Chiles. 100 units a week ? lightweight

I disengage, I turn the page.

I hate him so much I made a small doll which looks like him and stick pins in it

Voodoo Chiles

Paua oouaarancì Irà chiyeah Ishé galé ma ba oo ah

He sleeps through the morning instead?

COYP

Article in the Guardian today about a large study which concluded that the only "healthy" amount of alcohol consumption was none. Suggested the benefits of a small amount were outweighed by the negatives.

[Link]

However the part that caught my eye came at the end from Professor Sir David Spiegelhalter (who is brilliant IMO) who said the data showed only a very low level of harm in moderate drinkers and suggested UK guidelines were very low risk.

“Given the pleasure presumably associated with moderate drinking, claiming there is no ‘safe’ level does not seem an argument for abstention,” he said. “There is no safe level of driving, but government do not recommend that people avoid driving. Come to think of it, there is no safe level of living, but nobody would recommend abstention.”

Sensible words. Everything in life involves a risk and reward balance and a full life involves just that, a balance.