Readers had strong reactions to my column this week about what we know and don’t know about alcohol’s health risks. Saying to people they can drink a glass or two is like saying they can smoke a pack or two.”I understand May’s perspective. What is far less settled is whether drinking an occasional glass of wine is comparable to smoking an occasional cigarette. That said, even occasional drinking can be problematic for some people. “I don’t understand your hypocrisy,” wrote Jenny from Washington, D.C. “You’ve written so much about how cannabis is bad for health.

Source: Washington Post January 23, 2026 03:55 UTC