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By Sophie Clark
Live News Reporter
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The United States is set to drop its current guidance on alcohol consumption, according to a report from Reuters.
The report, which Newsweek has not yet independently confirmed, states that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will revise the current guidance, which currently recommends having two or fewer drinks a day. The new guidelines on consumption are expected to be more general and less specific than the current ones.
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr, who does not drink himself, has been leading several significant changes at his department, which health experts have criticized for inconsistencies.
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Newsweek reached out to HHS via email for comment.
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Why It Matters
Alcohol guidelines exist due to the health ramifications of overconsumption. Alcohol, even in moderate doses, can lead to increased risks of several types of cancer, as well as other health complications such as liver failure, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
What To Know
Alcohol guidelines are set to be renewed every five years in accordance with HHS' Dietary Guidelines protocols and are up for renewal in 2025. However, it is unclear why HHS is reportedly considering removing key parts of the guidelines in its updates.
Former Surgeon General Vivek Murthy spoke up in favor of adding warning labels to alcohol about its cancer risks in early January 2025. This idea was not taken up by the Trump administration, which took office a few weeks later.
Murthy promoted adding health labels to alcohol, as few people are aware of the cancer risks attached to alcohol consumption.
The current guidance from the HHS is that men should consume two servings or fewer per day, and women should consume one serving or fewer. HHS defines one drink as 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine or 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits.
It is unclear at this time what changes this guidance will make. Sources told Reuters that the new guidance will only be a few sentences long.
What People Are Saying
A spokesperson for Science Over Bias—a working group of U.S. growers, producers, distributors and retailers of beer, wine and spirits—told Newsweek: "Information on responsible alcohol consumption has been part of the Dietary Guidelines for decades and has provided useful guidance for consumers who choose to consume alcohol and their health care providers."
"The hospitality industry has consistently maintained the view that the Dietary Guidelines for Americans should be determined based on a preponderance of sound scientific evidence, free from bias and conflicts of interest."
Former Surgeon General, Vivek Murthy's office in January 2025: "Alcohol consumption is the third leading preventable cause of cancer in the United States, after tobacco and obesity, increasing risk for at least seven types of cancer."
Eva Greenthal, a senior policy scientist at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, told Reuters the new language is expected to be "so vague as to be unhelpful."
What Happens Next
The HHS has not changed its guidelines as of the time of publication. Many other countries also recommend drinking two or fewer alcoholic drinks per day.
Updates 6/18/25, 12:21 p.m. and 6/19/25, 8:50 a.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information and comment from a Science Over Bias spokesperson.
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