Wine in Moderation - please discuss

[Roy Hersh]

There was a piece included in the newsletter about Wine In Moderation and I was wondering if you took the time to read that and if so, had any serious comments or ideas on that topic?

[Peter W. Meek]

I read the beginning; skimmed the rest. It seemed like most PSAs: ideas that were self evident on reading, but good to be reminded of occasionally.

An electronic document is elastic in size, so there is no particular downside to including such things -- they don't crowd anything else out of the newsletter. Only if there would be so many that they swamped the "meat" would it be any kind of problem.

[Glenn E.]

I did the same. It seems like a good project, but not something I really need to worry about. The WHO's recommended daily (maximum) consumption of alcohol is significantly greater than mine, so I don't really worry about it. It's a rare day when I drink 3 glasses of Port (3 units of alcohol) on my own! Averaged out over an entire week I'm certainly less than 1 unit per day.

The odd Port tasting excepted, of course. Even at a smallish tasting I suspect we consume more than their recommended maximum of 4 units of alcohol at a single sitting (equal to approximately 4 full servings of Port).

[Andy Velebil]

Moderation---BAH!! Port sales were down last year and we all need to do our part to buy and drink more Port this year

[Roy Hersh]

Andy,

So in essence you are saying, "the Port trade can't have it both ways if they are backing the initiative (which many of them are!) and at the same time want to see their sales improve?"

Just wondering.

[Moses Botbol]

I say binge and purge.

[Roy Hersh]

I have trouble doing this with anything older than 1970!

[Andy Velebil]

Andy,

So in essence you are saying, "the Port trade can't have it both ways if they are backing the initiative (which many of them are!) and at the same time want to see their sales improve?"

Just wondering.

On the surface it does bring up an interesting quandry since any alcohol company needs to sell their wares in order to survive. But in reality by pushing for moderate consumption, verses bing or excessive drinking, the drinker should live longer and be able to buy more alcohol over the long run, a win-win for the alcohol company...at least in theory.

Another boon in backing something like this is they teach people that drinking can be healthy if done in moderation. Thus encouraging people to consume alcohol more regularly, but in more moderation for the health benefits. This has the possibility of encouraging families to consume more at dinner over the long run and thus teaching their kids that moderate consumption is perfectly ok. Then you have generations of drinkers already in the pipeline to replace those that pass on due to age.

So in theory they can have it "both ways" and may actually be better off in the long run for doing so.

[Peter W. Meek]

Andy,

So in essence you are saying, "the Port trade can't have it both ways if they are backing the initiative (which many of them are!) and at the same time want to see their sales improve?"

Just wondering.

On the surface it does bring up an interesting quandry since any alcohol company needs to sell their wares in order to survive. But in reality by pushing for moderate consumption, verses bing or excessive drinking, the drinker should live longer and be able to buy more alcohol over the long run, a win-win for the alcohol company...at least in theory.

Another boon in backing something like this is they teach people that drinking can be healthy if done in moderation. Thus encouraging people to consume alcohol more regularly, but in more moderation for the health benefits. This has the possibility of encouraging families to consume more at dinner over the long run and thus teaching their kids that moderate consumption is perfectly ok. Then you have generations of drinkers already in the pipeline to replace those that pass on due to age.

So in theory they can have it "both ways" and may actually be better off in the long run for doing so.

It's all about avoiding government regulation; if they are seen to be "policing" themselves, they can hope that the various governments that control their sales won't step in and pass some horrible new regulation.

How about: "No alcohol sales except between 7 am and 11 AM on odd numbered week-days" to prevent people from buying alcohol while intoxicated, after drinking all afternoon.