The White House has denied any intention to follow Canada’s alcohol guidelines, which recommend only two drinks per week, after a Fox News reporter raised the issue at a press briefing on Friday.
The question was based on an interview with George Koob, the director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, who said that the US may revise its alcohol advice in 2025 and that there are no health benefits from drinking alcohol.
“There’s no health benefit to drinking. I know that’s not what people want to hear,” Koob said in an interview with The Guardian on Wednesday.
Koob also said that the US may consider adopting Canada’s alcohol guidelines, which advise no more than 10 drinks a week for women and 15 for men, with no more than two drinks a day. He said that the current US guidelines, which allow one drink per day for women and two for men, are “outdated” and “not based on the best science”.
However, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre dismissed the question from Fox News reporter Peter Doocy, who asked whether President Joe Biden supports Koob’s views and whether he plans to implement them.
“I have no idea where your question is coming from. I would refer you to any health experts on that,” Jean-Pierre said, adding that she would leave it to the experts to decide on the best alcohol guidance for Americans.
Many Americans reacted with disbelief and ridicule to the idea of limiting their alcohol intake to two drinks a week, calling it a joke, an infringement on their freedom, and a sign of government overreach.
“What a joke. The Biden administration wants to limit Americans to two beers a week. That’s not going to fly,” Fox News host Sean Hannity said on his show on Wednesday.
“I’m sorry, but this is America. If I want to drink a six-pack on a Friday night, that’s my right. I don’t need some bureaucrat telling me what to do,” a Twitter user named @freedomlover69 wrote.
“This is ridiculous. Alcohol is part of our culture and our social life. We can enjoy it responsibly without being lectured by the government,” a Facebook user named Jennifer Smith commented.
The debate over alcohol consumption comes amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, which has increased stress and anxiety levels among many Americans. According to a study by the RAND Corporation, Americans increased their alcohol consumption by 14% during the first months of the pandemic compared to the same period in 2019. The increase was more pronounced among women (17%) and people aged 30-59 (19%).
Relevant articles:
– White House laughs off report Biden wants to limit Americans to two beers a week, by Eric Garcia, published on August 28, 2023, on MSN
– Biden alcohol czar says US may follow Canada, limit beers to two a week: ‘what a joke’, by Houston Keene, published on August 25, 2023, on Fox News
– Biden’s alcohol czar warns new guidance could be only 2 beers a week, by Christopher Hutton, published on August 26, 2023, on Washington Examiner
– Biden’s alcohol czar says US may follow Canada’s lead and slash booze intake to just two drinks a WEEK – but White House laughs off the idea, by Harriet Alexander, published on August 26, 2023, on Daily Mail