Recent medical studies have linked moderate alcohol consumption (one to two glasses daily) to a lower risk of heart disease and stroke. In February 1999, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) approved two statements for wine labels publicizing these possible benefits. One statement would direct consumers to ask their family doctor about the health effects of wine consumption, and the other would refer consumers to the federal government's Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Then, in October 1999, under pressure from Sen. Strom Thurmond (R-S.C.), ATF proposed a rule to ban such statements on labels or in advertisements that link alcohol consumption to health benefits. In the rule's request for public comment, ATF asks whether the risks of drinking, which include cirrhosis, fetal alcohol syndrome and drunk driving, outweigh the potential health benefits enough to prohibit the wine industry from making any health-related claims on their labels.

The Dietary Guidelines, last updated by the federal government in 1995, state "current evidence suggests that moderate drinking is associated with a lower risk for coronary heart disease in some individuals." These guidelines dropped previous statements that alcohol consumption has "no net health benefit." The 2000 draft of the Dietary Guidelines qualifies its previous report in several ways and narrows the health benefit of moderate alcohol consumption to men over 45 and women over 55.

The debate continues in Congress and in the ATF: Does such labeling mislead the consumer by stressing the potential advantages of moderate drinking? The ATF will hold a series of public hearings in 2000 determining whether vintners will be allowed to use the February 1999 health statements on wine labels.

On One Hand...

The dangers of drinking stem from alcohol abuse, and the key word in the potential health benefits of alcohol consumption is "moderation." The wine industry emphasizes that the health benefits of wine are associated with moderate consumption, defined as a glass a day for women and two glasses a day for men. According to a number of recent studies, moderate consumption can reduce risk of stroke and heart disease.

The approved labels are extremely cautious in their approach to these therapeutic advantages. Instead of encouraging drinking, they merely suggest individuals ask their doctor about the health effects of alcohol or consult the federal guidelines for further information. These labels would encourage moderation and expose consumers to information that could help them in the long run.

On the Other Hand...

Any claim regarding health benefits of alcohol consumption is deceiving because it encourages the consumer to overlook the overwhelming ill effects of drinking. Alcohol is the second leading cause of preventable deaths in the U.S. The federal government estimates that 100,000 people die annually from alcohol-related causes, including cancer, cirrhosis, accidents and homicides. Approximately 40 percent of all auto fatalities are alcohol-related. Nearly 14 million Americans have a drinking problem, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. But reports indicate that heavy drinking isn't the only cause of death --"moderate" drinking, for instance, has been identified as a factor in coronary artery disease and linked to a higher rate of breast cancer in women.

Promoting the potential health benefits of drinking will give heavy drinkers an excuse to drink and may lead some nondrinkers to take up drinking.

• The 1995 Dietary Guidelines state, "Current evidence suggests that moderate drinking is associated with a lower risk for coronary heart disease in some individuals. However, higher levels of alcohol intake raise the risk for high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease, certain cancers, accidents, violence, suicides, birth defects, and overall mortality (deaths). Too much alcohol may cause cirrhosis of the liver, inflammation of the pancreas, and damage to the brain and heart."

• The draft 2000 Dietary Guidelines state, "Taking more than one drink/day for women or two drinks/day for men can raise the risk of for auto accidents, other accidents, high blood pressure, stroke, violence, suicide, birth defects, and certain cancers. Even one drink/day can slightly raise the risk of breast cancer. ... Drinking in moderation may lower risk for coronary heart disease, mainly among men over age 45 and women over age 55. Moderate consumption provides little, if any, health benefit for younger people. Risk of alcohol abuse increases when drinking starts at an early age."

• Approximately 14 million Americans have a drinking problem.

• Using Senate rules to block Treasury Department nominees, Sen. Strom Thurmond forced ATF to propose the wine label rule in October.

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Center for Science in the Public Interest, Wine Institute