But a recently released report written by representatives of both public health and the alcohol industry is a first and a dramatic example of how much Big Alcohol has learned from the mistakes of Big Tobacco. By publishing it, CSAP reveals itself to be a chastened version of the substance abuse fighter that barely survived a defunding assault by the alcohol industry in Congress two years ago. Industry pressure forced open the door to cooperation and CSAP decided to switch rather than fight. The document questions everything from binge drinking to a causal relationship between alcohol and crime in a format that for the most part presents both sides equally. But I have grave concerns.
Alcohol is a psychoactive substance that has addictive possibilities.
Using alcohol is risk-taking behavior. The risks are still much greater than the pleasures and potential benefits to the heart. I would hope that if the effort to make the harmful aspects of alcohol appear as an aside goes too far, the AMA, the National Institutes of Health and HHS clearly put out the facts about alcohol. So do others in public health around the world who have refused to work with this offspring of the alcohol industry that calls itself a public health agency. I expect them to use every device they can to promote the use of their product.