NYT drops the hammer on all but the most moderate drinking

[Anonymous]

I drink a few times a year but I make up for not drinking a little every week by really getting trashed. I’m safe right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I dare anyone to read this article and throw back more than a couple of drinks tonight.

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/12/well/alcohol-body-health-effects.html?unlocked_article_code=1.M1A.B4Wo.yT4ia9vjHvYC&smid=nytcore-ios-share

Just an example:

“Drinking alcohol increases the risk of four types of cancer in the mouth and upper digestive tract: oral, pharyngeal (throat), laryngeal (voice box) and esophageal. The mouth, throat and esophagus are particularly vulnerable since those tissues have some of the greatest exposure to acetaldehyde. According to one analysis, the risk of mouth and throat cancers increases by 13 percent and the risk of esophageal cancer by 26 percent with just one drink per day. For people who have five or more drinks a day, the risk of all three cancers is roughly four times higher.”

I appreciate your posting this. Thank you.

Same, OP. As a cancer researcher, I am so glad to see NYT covering this issue and doing it well. Many people are unaware that alcohol can cause cancer, and might change their behavior if they understood the risks.

Can you give exact #'s of all these cancer risks? Not 13% or 26% - Give me 1/2500 vs 1/2250. Also, please also tell me how the studies are actually rigorous enough to determine it to such specific #s for entire populations. I'm sure you do great work, but most of these mainstream articles are dumbed down to such an extent they're entirely worthless. Even more worthless when someone posts a different version each week.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Meh. What's the point of living longer if you can't enjoy a few drinks?

Are you the fanatical teetotaler? I'm going to tell you the same things I tell my kids: You worry about you.

Because drinking prevents you from doing rad stuff and makes you feel like dog shit?

I tie one off rarely like some people. But habitual consumption really just doesn’t make a lot of sense if you have other ways to fruitfully spend your time.

Drinking's fun, dude. Stop being so square. Nobody likes that.

Only idiots need alcohol to have fun. Nobody likes you, drunkie.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Meh. What's the point of living longer if you can't enjoy a few drinks?

Are you the fanatical teetotaler? I'm going to tell you the same things I tell my kids: You worry about you.

Because drinking prevents you from doing rad stuff and makes you feel like dog shit?

I tie one off rarely like some people. But habitual consumption really just doesn’t make a lot of sense if you have other ways to fruitfully spend your time.

Drinking's fun, dude. Stop being so square. Nobody likes that.

Only idiots need alcohol to have fun. Nobody likes you, drunkie.

Have a drink. It will help uou relax. Stress isn’t good for your health either and you are very tightly wound.

[Anonymous]

Nice to see an article that doesn't scream, "No amount of alcohol is safe!" implying that having a few sips of champagne at Uncle Bob's wedding is bound to do you in.

Instead it says - The facts are sobering, but take note: Experts say that the odds of experiencing health harms from drinking are relatively low if you average one drink a day or less. And one drink a day sounds like a lot to me.

[Anonymous]

I drink 1 alcoholic beverage every week or two. So maybe 3 drinks a month.
That said, I know quite a few people that drink quite a bit more. A lot of of them are in their 60s or older. And none of them have had cancer. My dad drank a lot. He passed away at 80 from heart disease. My mom‘s 88. She also drank a lot. And smoked a lot. No cancer. If I’m being honest, I really don’t want to live to be 88. I’d be happy to die at 80.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:...but 5 or more drinks a day is a lot!

People who drink 5 + drinks a day die early.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Meh. What's the point of living longer if you can't enjoy a few drinks?

Are you the fanatical teetotaler? I'm going to tell you the same things I tell my kids: You worry about you.

Because drinking prevents you from doing rad stuff and makes you feel like dog shit?

I tie one off rarely like some people. But habitual consumption really just doesn’t make a lot of sense if you have other ways to fruitfully spend your time.

Drinking's fun, dude. Stop being so square. Nobody likes that.

Only idiots need alcohol to have fun. Nobody likes you, drunkie.

Have a drink. It will help uou relax. Stress isn’t good for your health either and you are very tightly wound.

Ah, yes. The typical projection of people who can't handle life sober. Everyone else is "very tightly wound". Nah, bro. I'm good. And you're stupid. And since it's not my problem, be assured I'm completely relaxed about it.

[Anonymous]

I wish I could drink alcohol but it just makes me feel ill. It doesn't make me feel better that it might shorten other people's lives.

[Anonymous]

This doesn’t really change anyone’s habits. People who already don’t drink will continue to not drink because they already had reasons why they don’t. No one I know who enjoys drinking has ever been moved to stop drinking based on any research about alcohol’s negative effects on the body.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Meh. What's the point of living longer if you can't enjoy a few drinks?

Are you the fanatical teetotaler? I'm going to tell you the same things I tell my kids: You worry about you.

Because drinking prevents you from doing rad stuff and makes you feel like dog shit?

I tie one off rarely like some people. But habitual consumption really just doesn’t make a lot of sense if you have other ways to fruitfully spend your time.

Drinking's fun, dude. Stop being so square. Nobody likes that.

Only idiots need alcohol to have fun. Nobody likes you, drunkie.

Have a drink. It will help uou relax. Stress isn’t good for your health either and you are very tightly wound.

Who is more tightly wound: the person who doesn’t need to drink, or the one who needs alcohol to “de-stress”?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Meh. What's the point of living longer if you can't enjoy a few drinks?

Are you the fanatical teetotaler? I'm going to tell you the same things I tell my kids: You worry about you.

Because drinking prevents you from doing rad stuff and makes you feel like dog shit?

I tie one off rarely like some people. But habitual consumption really just doesn’t make a lot of sense if you have other ways to fruitfully spend your time.

Drinking's fun, dude. Stop being so square. Nobody likes that.

Only idiots need alcohol to have fun. Nobody likes you, drunkie.

Have a drink. It will help uou relax. Stress isn’t good for your health either and you are very tightly wound.

Ah, yes. The typical projection of people who can't handle life sober. Everyone else is "very tightly wound". Nah, bro. I'm good. And you're stupid. And since it's not my problem, be assured I'm completely relaxed about it.

You might be relaxed, but you’re still a bish.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Meh. What's the point of living longer if you can't enjoy a few drinks?

Are you the fanatical teetotaler? I'm going to tell you the same things I tell my kids: You worry about you.

Because drinking prevents you from doing rad stuff and makes you feel like dog shit?

I tie one off rarely like some people. But habitual consumption really just doesn’t make a lot of sense if you have other ways to fruitfully spend your time.

Drinking's fun, dude. Stop being so square. Nobody likes that.

Only idiots need alcohol to have fun. Nobody likes you, drunkie.

Have a drink. It will help uou relax. Stress isn’t good for your health either and you are very tightly wound.

Ah, yes. The typical projection of people who can't handle life sober. Everyone else is "very tightly wound". Nah, bro. I'm good. And you're stupid. And since it's not my problem, be assured I'm completely relaxed about it.

You might be relaxed, but you’re still a bish.

Triggered!

Just sober up, sweetie. The world is so much better when you're not a soggy mess.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think fewer and fewer people, especially younger generations, drink anyway, between all the info about how bad it is, the cost, and personally I don't feel good when I drink even a little. I'm amazed when I see people on tv reality shows getting hammered regularly.

+1. Gummies are so much better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:...but 5 or more drinks a day is a lot!

People who drink 5 + drinks a day die early.

And that’s a good thing.