Friday 28 January 2011

An anti-drinking campaign I can endorse

We know that the risk of death is lower for moderate drinkers. Folks consuming about a drink per day have only 85% of the mortality risk of non-drinkers, correcting for all the confounds.

The New Zealand Drug Foundation is encouraging politicians to sign up for its FebFast fundraiser, where folks pledge funds and commit not to drink for a month. The money goes to charity. The increased mortality risk goes to politicians, though those who otherwise were drinking more than 4-5 drinks per day would see a net reduction in mortality risk. Sounds like a pretty good deal.

Since the real lushes in Parliament are least likely to sign up for this kind of thing, it's an initiative that I can endorse. In fact, there are a few that I'd even consider helping to sponsor. Please take it as a complement if I turn you down if you ask me for sponsorship: it's for your health. I can't think of more than a couple of MPs that I'd refuse. I'd also refuse Winston, but only because I think he might pocket the money, renege on the deal, then threaten defamation suits against any media outlets showing pictures of him having a drink during February.

*Please do not take this as my being serious about wishing harm or increased risk of all-source mortality on any politicians in New Zealand or elsewhere, especially if such thoughts could be held against me.

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