15 scientific societies warn: "There is no safe level of alcohol consumption."

"There is no safe level of alcohol consumption." More than 15 scientific societies have presented a position paper on alcohol consumption in which they consider it essential to promote a clear social awareness that the lower the alcohol consumption, the greater the health benefits. In a joint statement, which seeks to mark a before and after in the way alcohol consumption is communicated and regulated in Spain, the societies urgently call for an end to the normalization of alcohol in Spanish culture, debunk myths about its supposed benefits, and advance policies that limit its consumption, especially among minors.

The manifesto emphasizes that, for certain groups and contexts—minors and young people, pregnant women, mothers, and drivers—zero consumption should be a public health priority. Society, they conclude, needs accurate information, free from commercial interference, and bold legislation that puts public health before economic interests.

Alcohol consumption is the second preventable cause of mortality in Spain, with nearly 15,000 deaths per year . Furthermore, it represents an enormous burden of disease, contributing to more than 200 diseases and health problems . These include chronic liver disease (the leading cause of liver transplants), cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension and atrial fibrillation, and at least seven types of cancer (oral, laryngeal, pharyngeal, esophageal, liver, breast, and colon). Added to this are addiction problems, injuries, traffic accidents (in 28% of cases with victims, the driver had consumed alcohol), and multiple social, family, and work-related consequences.

Alcohol also seriously affects minors: it interferes with their brain development and predicts a higher risk of behavioral disorders and poor academic performance. Despite this, more than half of adolescents aged 14 to 18 have consumed alcohol in the last month, and one in five has suffered alcohol poisoning, according to the ESTUDES survey . Among adults, data from the EDADES survey reveal that 63.5% have drunk in the last month and that 16% have engaged in occasional heavy drinking ( binge drinking ). 6% of the population clearly exhibits risky consumption.

Faced with this situation, Rodrigo Córdoba García, spokesperson for the Spanish Society of Family and Community Medicine (semFYC), has been blunt: "There is no level of alcohol consumption that is beneficial to health. The concepts of moderate or responsible consumption do not exist."

Thus, the World Health Organization (WHO) points out that "even small amounts of alcohol can cause cancer, especially in women," adding that "the more alcohol you drink, the higher the risk."

Córdoba points out that the discourse about the supposed benefits of alcohol, especially wine, still persists in some medical settings. "There are still cardiologists and nutritionists who insist that a glass a day can be good for the heart. It's not acceptable to promote that idea from a scientific perspective."

The SemFyc spokesperson commented that for decades, biased or incomplete information has been disseminated, favoring the perception of alcohol as part of a healthy diet. "The Mediterranean diet is good, but without alcohol. We can't continue to validate wine consumption as part of a healthy lifestyle."

In this regard, he insisted that expressions like "responsible consumption" or "moderate consumption" must disappear. "There is no such thing as responsible consumption of a potentially addictive and harmful substance. After the third drink, control is no longer guaranteed."

While acknowledging that " a completely abstinent society is not realistic in our cultural context ," he stressed that the message must be clear and unambiguous: "The less alcohol consumed, the better."

Particularly worrying is underage drinking, with the average age of onset being 14. "The earlier you start drinking, the greater the risk of developing physical, mental, and social health problems. Starting at 14 quadruples the likelihood of having alcohol problems in adulthood compared to someone who starts at 21 ," he stated.

He also denounced the failed initiatives to legislate underage drinking since 2002. "There have been promises, drafts, and committees. In 2017, there was even a joint Congressional-Senate committee that addressed the issue, but nothing has moved since then. We've been beating around the bush for 23 years."

The manifesto proposes a roadmap that includes aspects such as reducing alcohol demand by increasing taxes and aligning them with the European average, with rates proportional to alcohol content; strictly regulating advertising and sponsorship, including in the digital environment and zero-alcohol beverages, especially in spaces where minors are present; developing mandatory and comprehensive labeling for alcoholic beverages, with warnings on health, risks during pregnancy, driving, development in minors, and calorie content; and monitoring compliance with the ban on consumption in public places, appealing to city councils and replacing fines with educational programs; and implementing a zero-alcohol driving ban.

They also propose reducing supply by regulating hours, accessibility, and visibility at points of sale, and prohibiting aggressive promotions such as "2 for 1" or "happy hours" ; implementing scientifically validated educational prevention programs in schools with the active participation of families and without the influence of the alcohol industry; improving health and social care with professional training in early detection, brief intervention, and stigma- free support, including harm reduction programs; promoting alcohol-free leisure activities, generating healthy alternatives especially for young people and families; and prioritizing research into alcohol prevention and public policies based on scientific evidence.

The document aims to promote a profound cultural shift that disassociates alcohol from celebrations and everyday life and calls for the commitment of parents, educators, the media, and social leaders to promote alternatives and reinforce health messages. "We don't want a completely abstinent society, because that's currently unfeasible. But we do want a more conscious, more critical, and better-informed society," Córdoba concludes.