TGIF :: Yep, NoLo (No & Low Alcohol) is IN.
Weekly drop #36 || What was once niche or "weird" is now "cool" and "smart"
I’m taking a break from the softer topics of cherishing and holiday tradition resets to share quality mainstream media content I’ve received from readers (thank you!) since last week’s post.
Each piece covers a different facet of the growing NoLo movement of decreasing alcohol use, targeting a broad spectrum of readers. There’s something for everyone here, whether you are motivated by beauty, trends, science, economics, or regulation (a testament to the diversity of the community here). Brief summaries and links to each are below.
First, Some Themes
This is a BIG DEAL. Tides are changing, friends, and we are part of this massive, global, cultural shift.
Themes I’ve noticed a before I jump in:
💪🏼 Popular outlets are covering the topic of choosing to drink less or not at all for a range of reasons that have more to do with a lifestyle upgrade than addiction.
🌟 Increased awareness of the benefits of opting out of drinking plus increased visibility around influential celebrities and health experts are serving to de-stigmatize the choice to live alcohol free, maybe even making it trendy.
👁️ The notion of “informed consent” is an emerging theme. The physical, mental, and social risks associated with alcohol consumption are becoming better known and a diverse set of advocates are endeavoring to ensure they’re even more so. Hat tip to
’s Holly Whitaker (Quit Like A Woman) and Canada (formally listing cancer, heart disease and stroke as health risks of drinking alcohol in new national health guidelines) for their bold, informative, and somewhat unpopular work here.The demand for alternatives to alcoholic drinks is massive and growing. “[B]y 2024, the total volume [of NoLo beverage] consumption will grow by over 31% across Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, South Africa, Spain, the UK and the US.” (BBC)
🙋🏻♀️ GenZ is leading the trend, more informed about the health costs of alcohol consumption and drinking less than in years prior—and significantly less than older generations.
Alright, let’s get to the fantastic content you all sent me this week. Keep it coming!
VICE Magazine: “Introducing the New Casual Sobriety”
A fantastic collection of interview excerpts highlighting the benefits of opting out of alcohol to live “fitter, faster, and more productive” lives. The article includes candid review of (1) some of the inevitable social challenges that come with living alcohol-free (at least to start), (2) how quitting drinking is different than quitting drugs (“casual alcohol sobriety seems to happen more in people wanting a better quality of life; drug sobriety tends to be more about stopping life getting worse”), and (3) the increasingly popular choice to cut back on booze because of it’s “negative impact on life.” I think they may also be coining “casual sobriety.”
“A growing number of people are waking up to the fact that perpetual hangovers and comedowns aren’t all that fun, and are deciding to give it all a rest. We are entering a new era of casual sobriety.”
Link to full article here.
Vanity Fair Covers Elle Macpherson on Why She Quit Drinking 20 Years Ago
Almost 60 (what?!), Elle is opening up about her sobriety journey, a choice she said she’s “never regretted.” (I love the use of “journey” and “choice” — language you know has been super important to me in navigating my own path). Though the tone veers into the sometimes tiresome statements about how “incredible” feels and looks (duh!), she does also speak to the power of this change on her inner world:
“Although it required discipline and persistence, the bottom line is you can’t be well and present in your life if you’re not present and well, and alcohol doesn’t really support that,” she said. “It’s very difficult to get to know yourself if you’re numbing yourself.”
Link to full article here.
The New York Times on Raising Alcohol Taxes
This opinion piece boldly frames alcohol use as a national drug problem that costs America $250 billion and 149,000 lives per year, more than all other drugs combined. The video is worth a watch, as it advocates for higher alcohol taxes, which research indicates lead to reduced alcohol consumption while also helping to cover some of the national costs. It's a fair approach, with those who drink paying proportionately based on their consumption.
Philip J. Cook, a Duke University professor emeritus and an expert on alcohol policy, says the solution is higher taxes. “The goal is not prohibition, but moderation,” he writes in his book “Paying the Tab.” “Alcoholic beverages are too cheap for our own good.”
Link to piece + the video here.
Axios on GenZ Opting Out
GenZ appears the most aware of the health risks associated with alcohol, with “[m]ore than half of young adults in the U.S. see[ing] even moderate drinking — one or two drinks a day — as unhealthy, new Gallup polling found.” It’s a simple piece that lets the metrics speak for themselves:
A record-high 39% of Americans believe moderate drinking is detrimental to health, up 11 points since 2018.
Among 18- to 34-year-olds, there was an 18-point jump — the biggest among any age group.
These trends are impacting rock concerts, the beverage industry investments, and marijuana use, framed as “alarming” by our friends at Fox News. You can read the very concise Axios piece here.
Peter Attia, MD, Reports on Whether Alcohol is in Fact Good for the Heart
Building upon his growing body of research and reporting on alcohol and health, Peter Attia, MD, this week released a blog post on “whether low to moderate alcohol intake is actually beneficial to cardiovascular health, as has been reported in past studies.” As a best-selling author of Outlive, and widely influential voice on a range of topics centered around longevity, his bold conclusion, backed by science, is sure to rattle some of the wine drinkers who previously believed low to moderate alcohol could be good for our hearts:
“[A]ll levels of alcohol exposure were associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease . . . Even among the light drinking group, every one-drink per day increase in alcohol consumption was found to significantly raise risk of hypertension by 30% (OR=1.3; 95%CI: 1.1-1.5; P=0.003) and CAD by 70% (OR=1.7; 95%CI: 1.2-2.4; P<0.001), [refuting] the theory that low levels of alcohol consumption are beneficial for cardiovascular health and demonstrate that quite the opposite is true – even low intake is detrimental.”
Further, for moderate and heavy drinkers, the risks increase exponentially. You can read the full (but relatively brief) post and see the eye-popping graphs here.
Honorable mentions include:
Reimagining Recovery (Holly Whitaker), a podcast in which we hear Holly in her usual, raw, blunt fashion calling B.S. on so much we’ve just accepted over the years. I particularly love the point she makes around the right questions to ask ourselves: Forget “Am I an alcoholic?” How about “Is alcohol making my life better?”
USA Today coverage of the new alcohol-free White Claw
seltzersbeverages. Wait, why is this national news?! Either way, I get a kick out of the marketing message: “one-of-a-kind premium seltzer” for adults that offers a “depth of complexity that tastes, feels and looks like no other non-alcoholic drink.” Please let me know if you try this. I want to hear your thoughts!The New York Times on the removal of two men from a U.S. government-established panel that “will review evidence about the relationship between drinking and a range of health issues, including obesity, cancer, heart disease, cognitive health and all-cause mortality.” Turns out they were exposed for links to Big Alcohol and similarly suspended from a $100 million NIH study in 2018…. It’s a shame that the U.S. has such a hard time keeping Big Alcohol out of life-saving research efforts.
Knowledge Actually is Power
Research confirms that younger generations, who are more informed about the risks associated with alcohol, are drinking significantly less that the less informed 55+ crowd. This underscores the effectiveness of raising awareness about the health costs of an alcohol habit, akin to what we observed with tobacco.
We are all going to do what works for us, and that is different for everybody. I am thrilled that we are increasingly equipped to make truly informed choices, whatever they are. I look forward to continuing to offer resources on the how part in the new year.
❤️
Miscellaneous…
Sangha Saturdays…. These casual, open gatherings keep getting better and better! If you’d like to join us via Zoom or in person, please indicate your interest here and you’ll be added to the (anonymous) calendar invitations. Our next Zoom session is tomorrow, December 9th, at 9a PT. 🙏🏼
Follow-up on the holiday traditions post… Our family decided to not send holiday cards this year, but we are doing our best to channel that energy, time, and money into other offerings including a particularly special Christmas Eve dinner. Would love to hear if you’ve made any tradition upgrades this year? 🎄
I am launching a podcast… More soon, but in a nutshell, I’m helping people share their ClearLife stories. (It was hearing myself in others’ experiences that inspired me to take a break in 2017.) I’m working with a phenomenal producer (and friend) who is already ensuring this is a very high quality affair. The first season is spilling over with a blend of well- and lesser-known folks, but if you have suggestions for interviewees, please let me know. It’s a one hour commitment and we will have fun. 🌟