America's uneasy relationship with alcohol

This NYT article discusses some of the cultural and business issues related to alcohol consumption. It states that: "Americans have often regarded drinking with a kind of unease that gives rise to contradictions and dissonance and boomerang shifts in attitudes." Consumption of hard alcohol sagged by roughly 40 percent between 1980 and 2002, but in the last few years distillers have geared up to advertise on cable TV, even though television advertising of hard liquor had long been taboo. The article's summarizes Americans' relationship thusly: "Policies regarding alcohol have been shaped by sometimes clashing beliefs. Personal freedom is valued, but a puritanical streak lingers. There is trust in free markets but also a wariness of treating alcohol as just any product." The NYT article does a great job of recapping the wary relationship that America maintains with alcohol. However from a health point of view there isn't much controversy. Anyone who has a tendency to abuse or overuse alcohol should stop drinking. period and the minor health benefits claimed by very moderate drinking are far overshadowed by the dramatic health problems caused by alcohol abuse. You will lead a far more productive and healthful life if it is free from frequent use of alcohol. Zero alcohol usage is the right answer for many.