Exposing Big Alcohol’s Dangerous Promotion of the J-curve Myth
Posted on October 10, 2024 in Bacardi, Diageo, Pernod Ricard, Deception, SwedenDrinkwise Sweden is promoting the misleading J-curve argument, which suggests moderate alcohol use may offer health benefits, particularly for heart disease. This narrative, however, ignores overwhelming evidence from leading health authorities, including the World Health Organization (WHO), which clearly states that no level of alcohol use is safe.
Drinkwise Sweden is closely linked to responsibledrinking.eu, an initiative run by spiritsEurope, the trade association representing Europe’s largest alcohol producers. Members of spiritsEurope include major alcohol companies such as Diageo, Pernod Ricard, and Bacardi. By promoting the J-curve, these companies aim to protect their profits by softening the public perception of alcohol risks, framing moderate alcohol use as potentially beneficial. This approach deliberately undermines public health efforts to reduce alcohol-related harm.
The J-curve theory itself has been debunked in numerous studies, criticized for poor methodology and some times funded by alcohol industry interests. More recent, unbiased research shows that even low levels of alcohol consumption increase the risk of various health issues, including cancers and cardiovascular diseases. WHO reinforces that no amount of alcohol consumption is risk-free. Alcohol remains one of the leading causes of preventable diseases and deaths, contributing to 2.6 million deaths worldwide annually.
By pushing the J-curve myth, Drinkwise Sweden is part of a larger strategy by the alcohol industry to mislead the public and delay regulatory changes, such as marketing rules and higher taxes on alcohol. This misleading messaging prioritizes corporate profits over public health and downplays the serious harms alcohol causes to individuals and society.
Deception is Big Alcohol’s activity to hinder and obscure public recognition of the real effects of alcohol. The focus of the DUBIOUS FIVE strategy of deception is the public’s recognition of the full extent of alcohol harm, the understanding of the risk caused by alcohol products, and the root causes of alcohol harm and their most effective alcohol policy solutions. Using deception strategies Big Alcohol seeks to fuel cognitive dissonance among the public.
Sources:
https://drinkwise.se/omfattning/
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2790520
https://movendi.ngo/science-digest/why-biases-pervade-the-field-of-alcohol-epidemiology-and-can-confuse-communications-about-alcohols-health-risks-2/
https://www.who.int/europe/news/item/04-01-2023-no-level-of-alcohol-consumption-is-safe-for-our-health