New health guidelines from the Netherlands advising people to avoid alcohol entirely have reignited a global debate about the role of drinking in society. The Dutch recommendations, released last month, go beyond previous advice to limit consumption, with one researcher stating that «each glass is harmful, for yourself and others.» This shift reflects a growing trend among health authorities to treat alcohol with the same caution as tobacco, but the world remains deeply divided on how to regulate and view drinking.
Unlike tobacco, which has seen widespread bans on advertising and public use, alcohol regulations vary dramatically from country to country. Legal drinking ages range from zero in Cambodia and Equatorial Guinea to 16 in Cuba and Belgium, and up to 21 in Egypt and Sri Lanka. In Russia, alcohol is available in supermarkets, while in Sweden it can only be purchased at state-owned liquor stores. Indonesia offers a decentralized approach, with alcohol easily accessible on the tourist island of Bali but banned in other regions. These differences reflect deep cultural and historical attitudes toward drinking that are not easily changed by health concerns alone.
Cultural traditions around alcohol are diverse and deeply ingrained. In France, alcohol is viewed largely through a gastronomic lens, with specific foods paired with specific drinks, and children sometimes given small amounts of wine at dinner. In Japan, after-work drinking parties known asnomikaiare a key part of office culture, used to build bonds between employees and superiors. Finland even has a word,kalsarikännit, for getting drunk alone at home in one's underwear. Religious practices also incorporate alcohol, from the use of wine in Catholic and Orthodox communion to its role in Haitian Voodoo and Shinto rituals, where sake is considered the «drink of the gods.»
Despite these varied traditions, the health risks associated with alcohol are universal. Emerging research challenges the long-held belief that moderate drinking is harmless or even beneficial. Studies now indicate that any amount of alcohol consumption raises the risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and neurological complications. This has led to public health campaigns similar to those that successfully reduced smoking rates. In the Netherlands, for example, the adult smoking rate dropped from about 25% in 2014 to 17% in 2025, freeing up an estimated €650 million per year for medical research and patient care. Proponents of stricter alcohol policies argue that similar gains could be made by discouraging drinking.
However, the push to de-normalize alcohol comes with its own set of challenges. Alcohol consumption has already been declining in many countries, particularly among young people, yet rates of certain cancers, diabetes, and depression have risen in the same demographic. Experts point to chronic stress, chemical pollution, sedentary lifestyles, and ultra-processed foods as potential causes. Alcohol, when used in moderation, can facilitate positive social interactions and help people connect with strangers—a function that is increasingly valuable in individualistic and digitized societies. Some studies have linked reduced drinking to increased loneliness, particularly among Gen Z, suggesting that efforts to discourage alcohol should be accompanied by initiatives to promote alternative forms of social bonding.
The debate over alcohol is not simply a matter of health versus pleasure; it touches on questions of personal freedom, cultural identity, and social cohesion. As governments consider stricter regulations, they must weigh the proven harms of alcohol against the benefits of traditions that have been central to human societies for millennia. The Dutch guidelines may be a step toward a healthier population, but they also highlight the complexity of changing behaviors that are woven into the fabric of daily life around the world.