April is Alcohol Awareness Month

LANSING, MI - April marks Alcohol Awareness Month across the nation and helps underscore responsible choices and informed decisions when it comes to alcohol consumption. From backyard barbeques and evenings around a crackling campfire to weddings, retirement parties, and everything in between, the Michigan Liquor Control Commission (MLCC) encourages moderation in drinking in recognition of Alcohol Awareness Month.

“Safe and responsible alcohol consumption by Michiganders of legal age is the most important part of private gatherings with family or friends and when alcohol is sold and served by one of the thousands of our licensed businesses,” said MLCC Chair Kristin Beltzer. “During Alcohol Awareness Month, we join with our partners in the alcoholic beverage industry and public health community to highlight the importance of safe alcohol use.”

The MLCC joins with the Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility (Responsibility.org) in making the month of April an ideal time to reexamine how we choose to include alcohol in our lives and activities, particularly the frequency and quantity of drinks. It also helps promote awareness, acknowledgement, and non-judgmental support to individuals with alcohol abuse struggles.

Awareness begins with the right facts and data. Here are commonly asked questions and answers when it comes to alcohol use:

• What is a standard drink in the United States? A standard drink is equal to 14.0 grams (0.6 ounces) of pure alcohol. Generally, this amount of pure alcohol is found in 12 ounces of beer, 8 ounces of malt liquor, 5 ounces of wine, and 1.5 ounces of a shot of distilled spirits or liquor.
• Is beer or wine safer to drink than liquor? One 12-ounce beer has about the same amount of alcohol as one 5-ounce glass of wine or 1.5-ounce shot of liquor. It is the amount of alcohol consumed that affects a person most, not the type of alcoholic drink. The National Institutes of Health hosts an informative webpage that provides of examples of common alcoholic drink serving sizes and container sizes to help consumers gauge the amount of alcohol in the drink they are consuming.
• What does “moderate drinking" mean? According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, adults of legal drinking age can choose not to drink, or to drink in moderation by limiting intake to 2 drinks or less in a day for men and 1 or less for women. Drinking less is better for health than drinking more.

National Alcohol Awareness Month in America provides an opportunity to increase awareness of alcohol addiction and to bring understanding of alcohol’s causes, the effective treatments available, plus encouraging people that recovery is very possible. Alcohol Awareness Month was established in 1987 by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence to help communities reach out to the public and provide answers to end the stigma associated with alcohol abuse.

For more information and resources available for alcohol abuse treatment, please visit: MDHHS - Treatment (michigan.gov).

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The mission of the Michigan Liquor Control Commission (MLCC) is to make alcoholic beverages available for consumption while protecting the consumer and the general public through regulation of those involved in the sale and distribution of these alcohol beverage products.