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CDC: If You Drink Enough to Enjoy It, You've Had Too Much
Reason ^ | January 23, 2012 | Jacob Sullum

Posted on 01/26/2012 11:11:27 AM PST by neverdem

Back in 2003, responding to a CDC report on binge drinking, I noted that "one man's dinner party is another man's binge—especially if the other man has a degree in public health." Based on more recent survey data, the CDC now warns that "binge drinking* is a bigger problem than previously thought," involving 38 million American adults. That asterisk is well-earned, because the CDC continues to define "binge drinking" as "men drinking 5 or more alcoholic drinks within a short period of time or women drinking 4 or more drinks within a short period of time." If a "short period of time" meant 15 minutes, most Americans (except the ones who are currently binge drinking) probably would agree this pattern of consumption is excessive. But the questionnaire used to generate the CDC's data actually asks about drinks consumed "on an occasion," which could refer to an evening, a day, or a two-week cruise. Even if we pick the shortest of these periods, an after-work cocktail plus a few glasses of wine during dinner, followed by a digestif or nightcap, would be enough to qualify as a binge.

"To a person who drinks several glasses of wine while dining out or during a party with friends," concedes New York Times health writer Tara Parker-Pope, "the idea of consuming four or five drinks in an evening may not sound excessive for the circumstances." But did you know "this level of drinking would typically raise blood alcohol levels to 0.08 percent and make a person legally impaired to drive"? Not only that, but "a large body of evidence shows that drinking at that level is associated with a number of health hazards, including car accidents, injuries, violence and risk of contracting a sexually transmitted disease." According to the CDC, this scientific evidence conclusively...

(Excerpt) Read more at reason.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: bingedrinking; cdc; healthnazis; nannystate
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To: Osage Orange

When I was a kid we all drank Becker beer which was brewed in Ogden, Utah. At 3.2% you really had to pour a ton of it to get the buzz. At age 19 I stopped drinking for about 90 days. Then to my surprise I met a few boys from Utah in Copenhagen who didn’t mind tipping their Carlsberg Light which was also 3.2%. They convinced me it was OK.

Then I found myself with a Danish kid as a partner. He introduced me to Tuborg. I died and went to heaven.

Now it is three Vodka Martini’s before dinner. No wine, no beer.


41 posted on 01/26/2012 1:10:42 PM PST by Utah Binger (Southern Utah where the world comes to see America)
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To: absolootezer0
there's a reason why chose to live where i do- i'm walking distance from 6 bars.

Sweeeeet.

42 posted on 01/26/2012 1:20:14 PM PST by Bloody Sam Roberts ("The price of freedom is willingness to do sudden battle anywhere, anytime..." - Robert A. Heinlein)
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To: neverdem

Alcohol is the cause and solution of all problems.


43 posted on 01/26/2012 1:26:51 PM PST by SnuffaBolshevik (In a tornado, even turkeys can fly.)
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To: Pardeeville Liberator
IIRC, takes a body about 2 hours to process a serving of C2H5OH. Spread 'em out over a nice long evening and you might approach "legal limit"; heck, you might not even notice appreciable effects.
44 posted on 01/26/2012 1:35:59 PM PST by ctdonath2 ($1 meals: http://abuckaplate.blogspot.com/)
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To: neverdem
men drinking 5 or more alcoholic drinks within a short period of time

Amatuers. I drank that much on the short drive over to see my in-laws.

45 posted on 01/26/2012 1:45:34 PM PST by socal_parrot (I hate to say I told you so, but...)
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To: freedumb2003
Sounds like the basis for the new “Liberal Nanny State” drinking game!

It sounds like somebody at the CDC got paid to write up a paper on something I knew about nearly 50 years.
46 posted on 01/26/2012 2:14:09 PM PST by af_vet_rr
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To: NativeSon
heck, I’m Indian, I’ll drink lighter fluid with an antifreeze chaser

Funniest post I've seen all day! :)

47 posted on 01/26/2012 4:10:22 PM PST by Inyo-Mono (My greatest fear is that when I'm gone my wife will sell my guns for what I told her I paid for them)
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To: neverdem

THEY don’t want you to drink.
THEY want you to go to work at your government job.
Go home right after.
Pay your 90% taxes from your taxpayer funded paycheck.
Go to bed. Repeat.

Bars, restaurants, fun, etc.....
not part of the program.


48 posted on 01/26/2012 5:24:07 PM PST by mowowie
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To: NativeSon
What the hell....maybe we should have a drink together!!

HA!!

49 posted on 01/26/2012 5:47:06 PM PST by Osage Orange (Sure you can trust the Government. Ask an Indian.)
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To: Utah Binger
90 days?

Partner?

Vodka?

No wine, beer?

These are good questions.

50 posted on 01/26/2012 5:50:01 PM PST by Osage Orange (Sure you can trust the Government. Ask an Indian.)
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To: Osage Orange

You must read between the lines.

LOL


51 posted on 01/26/2012 6:37:27 PM PST by Utah Binger (Southern Utah where the world comes to see America)
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To: Utah Binger
I read lot's....

Somethings that aren't even there....

Ha!!

Best FRegards,

52 posted on 01/27/2012 7:00:39 PM PST by Osage Orange (Sure you can trust the Government. Ask an Indian.)
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