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That's great news actually, and I hope scientist will keep studying this topic. We need less drinkers, not more, even if the dosage is moderate.
by Marwy 12y ago
That's great news actually, and I hope scientist will keep studying this topic. We need less drinkers, not more, even if the dosage is moderate.
- DanBC 12y agoWhy do we need fewer drinkers?
- dingaling 12y ago> Why do we need fewer drinkers? “We know that alcohol-fuelled harm costs society about £21 billion a year and are determined to reduce this burden to taxpayers. The rise in admissions is very concerning and we are taking action to tackle cheap and harmful alcohol.” UK Department of Health, October 2014 Total NHS budget in 2014 was around £104 billion. For comparison, UK defence budget was £33 billion.
- DanBC 12y agoSo we need fewer drinkers at the high risk end (more than 50 units per week) and fewer drinkers at the increased risk end (less than 50 but more than about 21 units per week). Neither of these are light to moderate, which is what the title is talking about. You said that we need fewer moderate deinkers. So, why do we need fewer moderate drinkers?
- shawabawa3 12y agoI would guess because almost all heavy drinkers used to be moderate drinkers edit: Not siding with him, just guessing his opinion
- pfortuny 12y agoYep, but remember that all heavy drinkers used to be milk-only drinkers also.
- deleted 12y ago[deleted]
- hnnewguy 12y ago>We know that alcohol-fuelled harm costs society about £21 billion a year and are determined to reduce this burden to taxpayers So you tax it, like Canada does. It's partly why our beer/wine/liquor is relatively expensive.
- CalRobert 12y agoWe know that cars kill over 30,000 people a year in the US, and 500,000 people on Earth, every single year. Therefore, we should stigmatize responsible, considerate drivers.
- Marwy 12y agoBecause drinking causes more problems than it solves.
- raverbashing 12y ago> We need less drinkers, not more, even if the dosage is moderate Why? Because you don't like it? I'd say the fact that humans metabolize alcohol (have evolved it) it's a pretty good hint that there was an evolutionary pressure selecting for it. I'd also hope for more study, but it's not like moderate uses of alcohol are significantly bad (as opposed to a high consumption, of course)
- gambiting 12y ago>> it's a pretty good hint that there was an evolutionary pressure selecting for it Or it is just a random mutation that we never got rid of. It could be either way.
- raverbashing 12y agoA random mutation that suffers no evolutionary pressure is usually spread randomly across the population. Eye color for example. As opposed of something that gives an advantage (like lactose tolerance or falciform anemia) which usually spreads quickly, while those that don't have that advantage died out.
- koja86 12y agoIt might look entirely different if you take social pressure into account as well.
- eddi 12y agoWhen our ancestors climbed down from their trees, they also started eating windfall. Ripe fruits tend to ferment. This is the reason why most carnivores can’t metabolize alcohol, while humans and other herbi-/omnivores can. The evolutionary pressure was to be able to eat more.
- corin_ 12y agoIt seems more likely to me that it evolved accidentally and we later began drinking alcohol, given how long evolution takes and that we have probably been making alcohol for only 10s of thousands of years.
- hueving 12y agoFewer* drinkers. Perhaps you could spend more time understanding the English language rather than offering baseless implications that suggest people who drink are a problem for society. Drinking is a great social lubricant if you are introverted. Without it, many of the social groups in security and programming that I have participated in would have ceased to exist. Bonding over laughs while having a pint is not something to pretend is irrelevant.
- throwawaybooze 12y ago> Drinking is a great social lubricant if you are introverted. I used to drink a bit and this was a common refrain in groups of drinkers, especially heavy drinkers. The reality is a bit more depressing - this justifies drinking that is covering up real problems. Now I stopped drinking and, after an adjustment period, I have a much better and more satisfying social life. A social life that revolves around doing positive things - fitness, creativity, learning. One difference I notice is the sense of humour - we laugh, but not at people and we don't exclude people from our groups. And we speak more freely without having to worry that someone will suddenly react badly and start throwing around insults to defend themselves... about grammar, say.
- hnnewguy 12y ago>The reality is a bit more depressing I'm glad you're able to identify "reality" and explain it to the rest of us, wandering around in a fog. >A social life that revolves around doing positive things - fitness, creativity, learning. My social life revolves around fitness, creativity, learning and some occasional social drinking the inevitably ends up being a good time with people I love. None of those things are precluded by drinking. Between the comments here and on the sports article a few weeks back, I've learned this community is oddly concerned about and sometimes nasty towards things other people might happen to find enjoyable, and enjoy explaining how they're "wrong".
- hueving 12y agoIt sounds like you were just an alcoholic or at least hanging out with alcoholics. I have never had any issues with having to walk on eggshells or have friends have outbursts. We only have one or two drinks so what you described is a non issue.
- CalRobert 12y ago"We need _fewer irresponsible_ drinkers", or even better "We need _less irresponsible drinking_" FTFY.
- Marwy 12y agoBy these downvotes I'd guess a lot of you like drinking, huh. Never thought I'd struck your cord.