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French government new advice: 'Don't drink wine'
February 20, 2009
The French wine industry is – once again – up in arms at the government's latest pronouncement: to stop drinking wine altogether.
The French wine industry is – once again – up in arms at the government's latest pronouncement: to stop drinking wine altogether.
The Ministry of Health has published guidelines which advise, 'The consumption of alcohol, and especially wine, is discouraged.'
The advice is drawn from findings by the INCA, the French national cancer institute, which says the consumption of only a small amount of alcohol can increase the risk of mouth and throat cancer by 168%.
INCA president Dominique Maraninchi said, 'Small daily doses of alcohol are the most harmful. There is no amount, however small, which is good for you.'
The INCA also says red meat, charcuterie and salt also increase the risk of colon-rectal cancer – by up to 29%.
Roger Corder, professor of experimental therapeutics at the William Harvey Research Institute in London, author of The Wine Diet and an acknowledged expert on the health benefits of wine, said he was 'surprised' by the INCA report.
'It is not based on French statistics but on statistics from around the world. As well as this, it covers all alcohol, not just wine. It is very flawed to base government health advice on such research, which lacks a detailed analysis of the influence, or risk, of drinking patterns for different alcoholic drinks and has at the same time excluded confounders such as poor diet and smoking.'
Citing numerous studies into the health benefits of wine, he said, 'this is the first time I have seen what amounts to scaremongering about the risks of moderate wine consumption from an organisation that should know the importance of basing health advice on detailed statistical analyses that considers overall risk.
'All large-scale studies have shown that moderate wine drinking is associated with a lower number of deaths from all causes (ie heart disease and cancer).
'Health policy has to manage overall risk in the population so this seems completely unwarranted health advice. What are they suggesting people drink – Coca Cola?'
The wine lobby in France has reacted with outrage. 'This persecution of wine has to stop, the AGPV (the General Association of Wine Producers) said.
Xavier de Volontat, president of the southern Languedoc wine producers association told Times online, 'The extremists must not be allowed to take consumers hostage. Wine consumption has dropped bgy 50% over the last 20 years in France, but cancer has increased. You have to admit there is a paradox.
'We are for responsible, reasonable and moderate consumption. It is not in our interests to see our consumers dying of cancer…'
Have your say...
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 It's even worst than that! It will be forbidden to pour wine for a tasting in a cellar or during shows...You won't be able to try what you may buy! How about future tastings? I thing the government is using this crisis period to pass those laws, this way it won't make such noise. What is that? Prohibition? George Orwell 1984?
Laurent, Pomerol, France
Wine is a natural antidepressant. I prefer the hypothetical cancer risk than stress. The medicine research is only statistical correlation between parameters. By this approach you can prove almost everything. Instead, the long history of the wine as a relief of the burden of the human life guarantees that moderation drinking is benefit for our body.
Vaimakis, Zitsa, Greece
There you have it: the REAL French paradox is that while consumption of wine in France is down by 50% over the last two decades, the occurrence of cancers in France is up significantly!
Jeffrey M. Davies, Director - Signature SelectionS, Bordeaux, France
They needn't worry, with the current EU wine labelling reforms concentrating on terroir (again!) rather than quality, nobody will be drinking French wine anyway.
Bob Lindo, Camel Valley Vineyards, Cornwall, UK
Another quality piece of advice from those entrusted with the safety
and well-being of citizens. It is saddening to see that France is
succumbing to the kind of moronic moralising and over the top
presentation of 'facts' designed purely to interfere with peoples
lives and pleasure, installing guilt that eventually deprives us of
choice and denigrates our quality of life.
French brethren, rise up and strike one in the kisser of these
quackish screamers!
Nick Breeze, Director - artGAL media, UK
'Dear Travelers:
This is a good time to also let you know that any Air Travel can sometimes be dangerous and should be avoided altogether as that remote risk outweighs any benefit, including mental health and economic considerations.
Sincerely,
The Airline Industry'
Brian Epp
Has George W. Bush taken a post with INCA?
Dick Gentry, Dallas, Texas USA
Careful, living can be dangerous, there's a risk of cancer.
Anacleto Ludovic, France
This report on bad effects of wine should be thrashed. It's not a scientific study. It does not take into account the health of the individuals, nor ethnic origins, comments on diets, mouth hygiene, dental check-ups and opinions, or spirits. One cannot base a Health Ministry advisory on this.
Desmond Smith, Swindon, UK
I am simply dumbfounded..a few years back, all were encouraged by a similar report to drink at least a glass of red wine a day. The explanation given then was, that the natural antioxidants contained in wine, would help arteries to remain flexible..Now we are told this might kill you!
Can these people decide?
I am a 58 year old male, overweight, smoke, and lead a stressful life, and DO drink wine !
I am clinically fit, except for a slight high count on the uric acid side...and the only explanation my doctors can give to this is because I drink wine good wine!
I do not want to drag politics or religion into this..but are all Muslim countries free of cancer?
Victor Bonello, Montekristo Vineyards, Malta
Last night, after reading the French Government's latest pronouncement, I felt particularly nervous and, without
realizing it, instinctively poured a second glass of a very fragrant Beaune Premier Cru. Thereafter the anxiety seemed
to melt deliciously away. I can only conclude that these new announcements are brilliantly conceived and will actually
stimmulate national wine consumption - the French Government understands the mind of the French Consumer very well -
they can only really enjoy what is officially forbidden.
Graham Reddel, Zürich, Switzerland
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