Do the new alcohol guidelines help us understand the risks of drinking?

It's about time the 20-year-old guidelines on alcohol consumption were updated, but the new evidence makes for sobering reading

For the first time since 1995, government recommendations on alcohol drinking have been updated. And it's about time too, although it's a bit cruel to announce these new guidelines on the first working Friday of the year.

Given that these new guidelines advise drinking less per session, on fewer days per week, and less overall (for men - the guidelines now bring the recommended limit per week in line for men and women at 14 units), it's likely that there will be cries of "nanny state"! But these guidelines are just that: evidence-based advice to help the public make informed choices.