For many midlife women busily juggling work and care responsibilities, an evening glass of wine can feel like the perfect antidote.

But that everyday habit comes with real risks. Beyond the familiar hangover, alcohol is linked to at least seven types of cancer, including breast, bowel, mouth and throat cancer. Even one drink a day increases that risk, and it rises further with each additional drink.

Around 70% of women in Aotearoa New Zealand reported drinking alcohol in 2024–25, according to national health data. Among women aged 35 to 54 who drink, around 16–18% consumed six or more standard drinks on a single occasion at least once a month, and around 5–10% did so at least weekly.

Just what do they think about the risks, how do they balance them with the demands of everyday life, and where do societal expectations fit in?

Our latest research set out to answer these questions – and found the picture is more complicated than it might first appear.

We interviewed 50 women aged 35 to 60, both individually and in friendship groups,........

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