What is Geographical Indication?

For many people, moderation is a subjective concept, but as the foundation for responsible consumption of alcoholic beverages, it must be explained and included as an essential part of any policy used to combat harmful alcohol consumption.Thus, from the perspective of consumer protection, it is paramount that the education and prevention campaigns historically promoted by companies and agencies associated with the spirits sector include references to help people understand how much alcoholic they are drinking and when it is time to stop.

Firstly, it is important to be clear that the only type of alcohol suitable for human consumption is ethyl alcohol (ethanol), which is found in all alcoholic beverages, without distinction, as a result of the production process. So whatever the category of drink or its alcohol content, the ethanol is always the same.

Given that it is the same active ingredient, it is logical that it is processed in the same way in the human body, regardless of whether it is from a fermented or distilled beverage. As such, the initial premise of the debate on moderation is crystal clear: alcohol is alcohol.

The standard drink is the main parameter that can be used to explain the concept of moderation, because it helps the consumer measure and control their ethanol intake, demonstrating the absolute amount of ethyl alcohol (ethanol) they are ingesting. It is also useful for comparative studies and in public policies on combating harmful consumption.

Fundación de Investigaciones Sociales A.C. - FISAC - indicates that the standard drink is a unit of measurement equivalent to a specific and established amount of pure alcohol (ethanol) per drink. This measurement varies from country to country depending on the culture, the characteristics of the population, and the geography, among other measures dictated by the local authorities.

In Mexico, for example, the official standards NOM-047-SSA2-2015 and NOM-142-SSA1/SCFI-2014 establish the value of a standard drink as 13g.

According to FISAC, the liver is primarily responsible for the metabolic processing of approximately 90% of the ethanol consumed by an individual. The body of a healthy adult male is able to metabolize a standard drink in approximately one hour, while a healthy adult female can do so in approximately one and a half hours. If intake is higher than metabolization rate, the concentration of alcohol in the blood rises, which can harm a person’s health. For this reason, the recommendation is to drink slowly and moderately, based on the standard dosage.

In short, what really matters is the absolute amount of alcohol ingested and not the type of drink or its alcohol content, since all alcohol is alcohol.

“The intensity of the effect of alcohol on the body is directly related, to the amount consumed. There is no moderate drinking, only the practice of moderation.”
US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Explaining the standard drink gives an understanding of the principle of equivalence between alcoholic beverages. In Brazil, considering 14g of alcohol as a basis, whether drinking 350 ml of beer (5% alcohol content), 150 ml of wine (12%), or 40 ml of distillate beverage (40 %), the absolute amount of alcohol ingested is approximately equal at 14g.

In Mexico, considering 13g of alcohol as the standard drink, the principle of equivalence between alcoholic beverages is this: with the consumption of 365 ml of a beer (with 4.5% of alcohol content), 118 ml of wine (14%) or 43 ml of distillate beverage (38 %), the absolute amount of alcohol ingested is of approximately 13g.

“If served properly and in its respective container, any alcoholic beverage contains approximately the same amount of pure alcohol.”
Fundación de Investigaciones Sociales A.C. (FISAC)

The World Health Organization (WHO) has already recommended that a healthy adult who consumes alcoholic beverages should do so according to the standard drink of 10 grams of alcohol and up to three doses for men and two doses for women per day, with at least two days in between when alcohol is not consumed.

Some myths regarding alcoholic beverages are rooted in popular culture and betray an improper understanding and practice of moderation.

Segregating alcoholic beverages into strong or weak categories are examples of assumptions void of technical basis that perpetuate these myths, influencing individual choices of healthy adults who choose to drink.

Based on this type of misconception, these myths can have unintended consequences for consumers if they decide to drink a greater number of low-alcohol-content beverages thinking they are consuming less alcohol.

It is important to demystify the relationship between consumers and alcoholic beverages to enable effective moderation and the creation of public policies capable of reducing harmful consumption.

In 2022, the WHO suggested that whenever feasible, economic operators should replace high-alcohol beverages with non-alcoholic or low-alcohol beverages throughout their entire product portfolio, with the intent of reducing harmful consumption.

This guideline has important repercussions from the perspective of consumer protection, since simply reducing the alcohol content of beverages in order to reduce harmful consumption overlooks the fact that moderate consumption is fundamentally established by the absolute amount of alcohol consumed and not the type of drink.

Based on the standard drink and the principle of equivalence, consumers should have a deeper understanding of moderation, allowing them to make better decisions when enjoying their favorite beverage, knowing that alcohol is alcohol.

The Original Spirits movement stands behind the belief that education gives rise to responsible and moderate consumption of alcoholic beverages, regardless of alcohol content or beverage category, helping produce effective results in the fight against harmful consumption.