[wjnc]

I might have been too subtle since you TFA so nicely.

The article points to adverse health related events that cause abstainment. Clear and good the AoE-article works that out.

I however point out that it's pretty clear within the drinking categories you have effects that go in tandem with other illnesses as well (like self-medicating with alcohol for psychological issues).

So the whole argument they propose should at least be carried out to its full, working both ways. You've got illnesses moving people into abstainment and illnesses moving people into moderate or high alcohol usuage. The only way to control this is to use changes in comorbidity over time as a factor.

TBH the scientists in the underlying article write this down as an issue as well.