Struggles in new wine label guidelines

[anna]

The Surgeon General urges caution in placing "misleading" health labels on wines. The proposed health labels are taking a beating on Capitol Hil:
http://www.capitolalert.com/news/capalert07_20000426.html
http://www.winetoday.com/story/0001289.html

The other side of the debate, urging moderation, from the Wine Institute:
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/000425/dc_wine_in_2.html

Something that I thought would never happen: France starts a campaign against tobacco and alcohol!http://www.cnn.com/2000/WORLD/europe/04/26/fringe.france.reut/index.html

[Thomas]

I was in Italy recently and noticed that political correctness has reared its ugly head in Europe--anti alcohol is an indication.

In the late nineteenth century the Europeans had a small prohibition movement just like America did, but ours grew bigger (as Americans always seem to like more of anything). This time, it seems, prohibitionists are taking on all fronts.

The label question is an incredible example of semantics over truth and reasonableness. What the antis call "health labelling" is merely an attempt by the wine industry to get people to go and read some of the available reserach data concerning moderate alcohol consumption. What the government has, and wants to maintain, is at the least an anti "health label" and at most downright mis-information.

Unfortunately, these things seem to go in pendulum swings and we are swinging well to the nasty right on this and other life-style issues. Everyone, including politicians, seems always to know what everyone else SHOULD do.

[anna]

Sen. Thurmond starts ranting about the wine labels again. Surprise, surprise. He does admit to having an occasional drink. Hmm..
http://www.napanews.com/nv/nvtoday.nsf/Business/56DDC3BA95F6A023862568CE005EC4E6?OpenDocument

The weirdest economic argument I've heard in a while -- raising beer prices can reduce the incidence of gonorrhea! Is wine next?
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20000427/sc/health_gonorrhea_1.html

[Thomas]

Today I must find time to look up the VD story, if only for the laugh I am sure to have. I'll bet every ex-marine would have loved to have this information while overseas many years ago....

[anna]

Another article, this one from Salon magazine, about the wine label issue.
http://www.salon.com/health/log/2000/04/28/wine/index.html

Also, an article stating that beer may be better for your heart than wine. I guess it balances out the alleged increase in VD (from my previous post)? [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/wink.gif[/img]
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20000430/sc/health_beer_2.html