@bolwerk
The only reason I mentioned smoking in relationship to this discussion is because you kept overreacting to the intent of the primary point which Nullo (and subsequently myself) tried to make which was that if more people had NOT gone against their childhood instincts to avoid nasty tasting things (which USUALLY, but not 100%, signal danger) they would be far happier adults not saddled with addictions now difficult to eliminate. This applies to both alcohol and cigarettes alike. Same principle is operative.
Yes, there have been some minimsl health benefits shown from wine and perhaps even beer but the caution that is ALWAYS included by medical and health experts is that if one is a teetotaler (or close to it) then don’t change to daily wine consumption thinking it’s going to give you a huge boost to your health. It’s not worth the risk.
And I have yet to read or hear of ANY benefits to distilled spirits like scotch, whisky, etc. And research is increasingly discovering that the darker the spirit, the higher the concentration of byproducts called congeners which have a high correlation with the development of Alzheimers.
And one has to consciously cultivate a taste for these. Give any kid a sip of Scotch and they’ll spit it out. And why wouldn’t they? It tastes like liquid cigarette ashes, quite frankly.
Someone can live a long happy life listening to their childhood instinct to avoid this stuff (both hard liquor and cigarettes) instead of cultivating a liking for it due mainly to peer pressure. And there are PLENTY of adults who wish they never had. That’s all I’m saying. Plain and simple.
So, even tho there are a FEW health benefits of wine (which has a far lower alcohol concentration) it does not outweigh the risks, all told, of addiction and other damages associated with too much consumption of alcohol.
Of course it’s possible for people to drink responsibly. That is not in dispute. But far too much destruction has resulted from those who either won’t or can’t.