A Federal Health Showdown on Wine

Former U.S. Surgeon General’s last advisory aligns with a growing neoprohibitionist movement

Former Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy at a press conference in Washington, D.C. — Former Surgeon General Vivek Murthy’s cancer advisory seems to ignore the findings of an advisory panel to the U.S. Dietary Guidelines. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Mitch Frank

From the Mar 31, 2025, issue

Is a daily glass of wine a health helper or hazard? American consumers are understandably confused. Just before 2024 came to a close, the panel of medical experts tasked with studying alcohol consumption for the U.S. Dietary Guidelines issued a report finding with “moderate certainty” that people who drink alcohol in moderation have lower all-cause mortality than those who abstain.

But just two weeks later, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy issued an advisory calling for alcoholic beverages to carry cancer warnings, arguing that Americans are uneducated about potential links between alcohol and seven types of cancer. Read our analysis of the ongoing health showdown.

You can also read, for free, our original coverage of the panel’s report, the Surgeon General’s advisory and the implications for wine lovers.

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