New Federal Guidelines for Booze Got It Right |
Alcohol
Eric Boehm | 1.8.2026 12:10 PM
For well over a year and across two different presidential administrations, a behind-the-scenes battle played out in Washington, D.C., over the future of Americans' drinking habits.
At least, that's what the combatants believed were the stakes. On one side, anti-alcohol activists and public health busybodies tried to rig the newest edition of the federal government's dietary guidelines by creating a new review panel specifically for the alcohol-centric recommendations, then stuffed that new panel with experts on addiction and mental health rather than, you know, dietitians. On the other side, members of Congress and various elements of the alcohol industry cried "foul" and demanded the government follow a process rooted in science and proper procedure. (If all of that sounds thrilling to you, I have a Reason cover story to recommend.)
In reality, the outcome of that........