Fact Check: White House Dispels Rumors of Biden’s Two-Beer-a-Week Limit
The White House has clarified that President Joe Biden does not support new U.S. guidelines aimed at limiting people’s weekly alcohol consumption.
This statement came in response to accusations from conservative media outlets and Republican lawmakers who alleged that the Biden administration was considering adopting alcohol and health guidelines similar to Canada’s, which advises a maximum of two alcoholic drinks per week.
The White House press secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre, refuted these claims, calling them “absolutely false.” She specifically mentioned a headline from the Daily Mail that suggested U.S. alcohol guidelines could be reduced to just two drinks per week.
Read Also: Virginia Declares Statewide Meningococcal Outbreak: 27 Cases, 5 Deaths Reported
CDC Guidelines vs. Mandates: Understanding Alcohol Recommendations
The controversy arose when George Koob, director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, mentioned that he was observing Canada’s new health recommendations, which suggest limiting alcohol consumption to two drinks per week to avoid related consequences. Koob’s comments were misconstrued as an indication that the U.S. might follow suit.
Currently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that men limit their alcoholic drinks to two or fewer on days when they consume alcohol and that women have no more than one drink per day. These guidelines are under review and set to be updated in 2025.
During a White House press briefing, a reporter asked Jean-Pierre whether President Biden supported limiting Americans to two beers a week, to which she responded that she had not seen such data and deferred to experts.
It’s important to note that Koob never explicitly stated that he planned to recommend the same guidelines as Canada, and CDC recommendations are not requirements or enforceable.
Nonetheless, some Republicans criticized Biden, comparing the situation to other perceived government interventions, like environmental efforts to ban gas stoves and ceiling fans.
Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, for example, sarcastically mentioned the two-beer guideline, expressing his opposition to it.
Read Also: Florida SNAP Recertification Deadline: Securing Your Benefits Beyond October
Source: USA Today
