[ekianjo]

Well you'll have to explain me how you fit "greater longevity" claimed by the page you linked with the indisputable fact that alcohol consumption drives the rate of cancers, which are one of the leading causes of death in the developed world. There is clear evidence that alcohol contents cause mutations, which in turn cause cancers when out of control. A number of deadly cancers are directly correlated with alcohol intake, such as oesophagus, stomach and digestive tract cancer. Plus, all alcohol drinks contain some amounts of formaldehyde which is a powerful poison for humans (http://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/materials/formaldehyde_508.p...).

So I'm not sure how a doctor can say with a straight face that 1-2 drinks a day has no detrimental effect on your health at all.

[wes-exp]

The explanation of greater longevity is simple. Heart disease and stroke, at least in the US, together account for slightly more deaths than cancer. Suppose that moderate alcohol consumption increases cancer risk by 5%, but decreases heart disease and stroke risk by 10%. Although there would be more cancers due to alcohol, the overall death count would still be reduced, because of the protective effect on the cardiovascular system.

No one is saying that alcohol doesn't have negative effects on health. It's just that the positive effects of moderate consumption are stronger, enough so that overall mortality is reduced (at least according to the available scientific evidence, which I admit may not tell the whole story).