The Trump administration this week advised Americans to “consume less alcohol for better overall health”, dropping specific low-risk amounts from its guidance after 35 years. Alcohol harm experts had recommended the low-risk amount should be halved for men.
Alcohol harm experts say the official dietary guidelines should tell consumers what a low risk amount of alcohol consumption is based on robust statistical research, rather than leave it up to them to decide for themselves.
“The guidelines abandon specific consumption benchmarks—such as the long-standing limits of two drinks per day for men and one for women—leaving consumers without clear, actionable guidance.,” wrote Mike Marshall, CEO of US Alcohol Policy Alliance in an email.
Earlier drafts of the guidelines reportedly kept specific low-risk guideline amounts. Officials from the US Department of Health and Human Services had drafted a proposal to halve the recommended low risk amount of alcohol for men to one standard drink (18ml) a day like for women, said a Reuters news agency report.
The new guidelines also have other flaws, Marshall said, omitting mention of underage drinking, alcohol’s links to cancer.The US lobbing disclosure register shows the alcohol industry spent millions on lobbying efforts over the last two years. Alcohol industry hailed the new guidelines as a victory.
Alcohol deaths in the US were 20% above the pre-pandemic level in 2024 and look to have been at least 10% above in 2025, according to an Alcohol Review estimate based on provisional CDC data. These numbers tend to increase over time as data is gathered from data centres across the country. ■