DON'T DISMISS RISKS OF ALCOHOL USE

WINE producers recently won permission to display new labels on their
bottles that urge consumers to learn more about ``the health effects
of wine consumption.'' Realizing that some people may not have time to
consult their doctors on this matter -- and as a result they may draw
an incorrect message from these labels -- I would like to share a few
important facts.

The new labels are based upon language in the government's Dietary
Guidelines for Americans, which refer to evidence ``suggesting that
moderate drinking is associated with a lower risk for coronary heart
disease in some individuals.'' While that may be true, it is important
to also note that the dietary guidelines do not actually recommend
consumption of alcoholic beverages. What's more, the guidelines list
large segments of the population who should not drink at all: women
who are pregnant or trying to conceive, people using prescription and
over-the-counter medications, people who drive cars or take part in
activities that require attention or skill, and recovering alcoholics
and people whose family members have alcohol problems.

The abuse of alcohol is a serious problem in this country today.
Misuse of alcohol accounts for about 100,000 deaths a year in the
United States, making it the third-leading behavioral cause of death
behind tobacco and diet-physical inactivity.

The wine industry says it only seeks to balance the negative
information contained in the federal health warning with the positive
health effects associated with ``moderate'' drinking. Unfortunately,
there is much confusion among the public about moderate drinking.

A study by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration found that most people consider themselves to be
"moderate'' drinkers even though the levels at which they drink vary
widely. For example, its study found that heavy drinkers thought
almost six drinks per occasion was moderate when that actually
qualifies as binge drinking.

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism's widely
recognized definition of ``moderate'' drinking is two drinks a day for
men and one drink a day for women and elderly men (with a drink
defined as 12 ounces of beer, five ounces of wine or 1.5 ounces of
80-proof distilled spirits). 46urthermore, the science on moderate
drinking is still evolving. A 1997 report supported by the institute
found that moderate maternal alcohol use, defined as three drinks per
week in the first trimester, was associated with more than a twofold
increase in risk of spontaneous abortion.

A 1996 study supported by the National Institutes of Health described
the unexpected formation of a recognized bio-marker that is evidence
of tissue damage at moderate drinking levels. Meanwhile, the jury is
still out on recent studies that indicate a possible association
between increased breast cancer risk and even moderate drinking levels.

Clearly, more study is needed to help doctors advise their patients on
the health effects of wine.

David Satcher is surgeon general of the United States.