Soberful with Veronica Valli Podcast: How much does America really drink?

USAPA CEO Mike Marshall was interviewed by Veronica Vallion her podcast, Soberful. Here are the show notes:

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In this episode, I’m joined by Mike Marshall from the U.S. Alcohol Policy Alliance (USAPA) — and this conversation is a big eye-opener about how alcohol shapes American culture, health, and policy in ways most people simply don’t see.

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Mike shares that he’s coming up on 18 years of continuous sobriety, and that his background in political organizing led him into advocacy after he learned how deeply alcohol harms communities — and how little policy exists to reduce that harm. We talk about the sheer power of the alcohol lobby and how “drink responsibly” has been used to place the burden on individuals instead of addressing the bigger picture — things like pricing, access, marketing, outlet density, delivery rules, and the lack of clear warning labels. Mike also breaks down how alcohol-related harm is far more widespread than most people realize, including its link to cancer, violence, crime, and impaired driving, and why public health messaging still hasn’t caught up (even in major guidelines that now say vague things like “drink less” without defining what that actually means). We also touch on Gen Z drinking trends, the rise of no/low options, and why the industry is paying close attention as culture slowly shifts.

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To catch the full episode, click the link below.