
“Nonalcoholic cider? So, basically apple juice?”
A year or so ago, I’d posted a haul of drinks from a local cidery. Only one of them was nonalcoholic, but that was the label that gave people pause. I have an Instagram account where I casually review beer and cider, so when low and no-proof varieties became more available, I opted to include them. While more and more people seem to be abstaining from alcohol altogether, the sober-ish, sober curious and “mindful drinking” movements are growing as well.
These moments—the ones that advocate for “less” rather than none—are blasted by regular drinkers and 12-steppers alike. It reminds me of how both vegans and carnivores mock people for doing “Meatless Mondays.” Grey areas require critical thinking, tolerance and discomfort. Humans haven’t been great at handling any of those things lately.
At the start of 2025, the United States surgeon general spoke about how alcohol is a contributing cause of cancer. In a statement, Vivek Murthy stressed that existing labels on alcohol packages are not sufficient, and that people ought to be aware of the potential damage to one's health. Personally, I’m all for warning labels—folks should be explicitly aware of what it means to engage in a risky behaviour.
I am still a champion of harm reduction first and foremost. Recent revelations do not cancel out the evidence in favour of destigmatizing and decriminalizing drugs. After all, alcohol is a drug. So are nicotine, cannabis and caffeine. They all have effects people enjoy as well as consequences. People who need a cup of coffee (or three) to get through the day would never imagine themselves equal to the drug addict on the street, nor would someone who takes a “night cap” to sleep. And unless you’re an asshole of the highest order, you wouldn’t call your friend with ADHD a “speed junkie” for taking prescribed amphetamine.
Now, here’s where I might lose some people: I believe we ought to stop thinking about some drugs as better or worse than others. We need to, instead, look at how what we consume impacts us in our daily lives. We need to look at how the criminalization of substances keeps people sleeping in tents in the dead of winter. These arguments around alcohol are simply a distraction from the conversations that matter.
Addiction, dependence, or whatever you want to call it—it’s not one size fits all. I’m sure there are many people who are better off staying out of bars and away from drinks that are even 0.5 percent alcohol. There are also people who may never quit their drug of choice altogether, but they’re willing to shift their relationship with it. Will you encourage this shift, or stand in its way?
It's up to you.
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