[justinator]

I think the problem is that it has to be mild, and being an addictive substance, isn't always that easy. Have you not had a friend that had ONE drink, then became a completely different person from that point forward?

Multiply that with the fact that alcoholism not only affects the person drinking, but inherited trauma is a really terrible thing. My life expectancy and quality of life have both been severely impacted due to the drinking habits of someone who hasn't even been alive for 20 years. Maybe mild drinking will only impact your person with say: a shittier night sleeping, but a good night's sleep is one of the best things you can do for your health - and isn't even noticable perhaps until you get a few weeks in a row of it, believe me.

It's a fine line for advice, as I don't feel I'm a teetotaler, but being a culture where drinking is seen as "perfectly fine, if under control" is also not exactly the right message. My country (USA) can attribute more than a half a million deaths every year to alcohol abuse. That's not a stat one should ignore.

I actually haven't had a drink all year (and little last year). I've cut out sugary soda as well - which could be even more impactful to my overall health.

As a 40+ year old (that's scary to type), just some observations, given perspective.