Ireland's Plan for 'Warning Labels' on Alcohol Bottles
Faces Backlash from Major Wine Exporters Including Italy
The saying "One drink a day is good for your health" is commonly accepted as common sense. However, as more countries begin to issue national warnings about the dangers of drinking, the topic of "alcohol and health" is reemerging as a global hot issue.
Ireland's Policy on 'Cancer Warning Labels on Wine'... Italy Says "Unacceptable"
The issue started with Ireland's policy. The country plans to attach labels on various alcohol bottles warning about the risks of liver disease and cancer caused by alcohol abuse. Once this measure is officially implemented, the alcohol industry will be required to attach warning labels on bottles.
Italy, one of the major wine exporters, argues that "excessive drinking is problematic, but moderate drinking is actually beneficial to health," and claims that attaching health risk warnings on alcohol bottles is an excessive measure.
As of 2021, Italy is the world's second-largest wine exporter after France.
Francesco Lollobrigida, Minister of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty, stated on the 26th (local time) during a government question session at the Senate in Rome, Italy, "Our position is clear. We cannot accept any wording that could stigmatize wine as harmful to health."
Minister Lollobrigida said he would cooperate with major wine-exporting countries such as France and Spain to oppose Ireland's mandatory warning label policy.
Canada Effectively Recommends Abstinence vs "The Secret to Living to 119 is Wine"
On the afternoon of October 28 last year, visitors attending the Gambero Rosso TOP Italy Wine Roadshow held at the Ambassador Seoul Pullman Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul, are tasting wine. [Photo by Yonhap News]
The topic of "alcohol and health" remains a constant subject of debate. The saying "light drinking helps blood circulation" is almost accepted as common knowledge.
Sister Andr? of France (born Lucile Randon), who passed away last week just weeks before her 119th birthday, was also a wine enthusiast. Sister Andr? reportedly drank a glass of wine and ate a small amount of chocolate every day.
On the other hand, Canadian health authorities recently recommended health guidelines that effectively amount to abstinence for their citizens.
According to the British daily The Guardian, the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA) stated on the 18th, "Even moderate drinking can pose serious health risks such as causing cancer, heart disease, and stroke."
CCSA, under the Canadian Department of Health, suggested that the appropriate alcohol intake at social gatherings is one 355mL bottle of 5% beer, one 148mL glass of 12% wine, or one shot of 40% spirits. CCSA explained that drinking these amounts more than twice a week is considered to carry a high risk of harming health.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
