Alcohol Industry Influence Threatens Public Health
ALCOHOL INDUSTRY INFLUENCE THREATENS PUBLIC HEALTH
Advocates Urge Secretary Kennedy to Prioritize Science Over Industry Pressure
The U.S. Alcohol Policy Alliance (USAPA) today condemned reports that Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is removing critical alcohol-related health guidance from the upcoming U.S. Dietary Guidelines — clearly in response to pressure from the alcohol industry.
The decision comes despite two recent scientific reports submitted to HHS, both of which underscore a clear link between even minimal alcohol consumption and increased cancer risk. One of the reports found overwhelming evidence that no level of alcohol use is safe, and that each additional drink raises the risk of serious health outcomes including liver disease and multiple cancers.
“We urge Secretary Kennedy to reconsider this decision,” said Mike Marshall, CEO of USAPA. “Ignoring the scientific consensus on alcohol harms delivers a major victory to Big Alcohol at the direct expense of public health. Americans deserve evidence-based guidance — not industry-influenced spin. Lives are at stake, and opaque recommendations only protect corporate profits.”
Issued every five years by HHS in partnership with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the U.S. Dietary Guidelines are a cornerstone of national health policy, influencing everything from school lunches to medical advice. The current guidelines recommend limiting alcohol intake to two drinks per day for men and one for women. However, new data from the Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Prevention of Underage Drinking (ICCPUD) shows that increasing from one to two drinks per day raises a man’s lifetime risk of alcohol-related death from 1 in 1,000 to 1 in 25.
Other countries and health authorities — including the World Health Organization, Canada, and Australia — have already acknowledged that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.
“No one is trying to take away anyone’s alcohol,” said Tiffany Hall, USAPA Board Chair and CEO of Recover Alaska. “But every American deserves clear, honest information about the risks. The U.S. Dietary Guidelines must empower families to make informed decisions — not mislead them to protect industry interests. As a mom and an advocate, I implore Secretary Kennedy to put public health first.”
USAPA has formally requested a meeting with Secretary Kennedy to discuss the guidelines on behalf of 30 national and state public health organizations. As of today, the Secretary’s office has not responded.
About the U.S. Alcohol Policy Alliance
Founded in 2014, the U.S. Alcohol Policy Alliance is the national voice on alcohol policy — working to change the narrative about alcohol, define an actionable agenda for policy-making on all levels, and build a movement driven by the truth that alcohol harms. Envisioning a nation free from alcohol-related disease, death and injury, the nonprofit, nonpartisan organization is leading the fight to change America’s relationship with alcohol by translating alcohol policy research into public health practice. To learn more, including ways to support the organization, visit www.AlcoholPolicy.org and follow USAPA on LinkedIn, X, Facebook, and Instagram.
