“Drink Like the French, Die Like the French”

by Lisa Frederiksen

Likely you’ve heard or been told that one of the reasons Americans have so much difficulty with alcohol abuse and alcoholism is that they aren’t taught how to drink from an early age, like say, the French. The argument is that the French grew up with wine – even having small amounts as young children – and thus learned how to drink. In so doing, the discussion goes, they know their limits, so for them, drinking alcohol is not the big deal it is for Americans who are supposed to legally hold off on drinking until age 21. This article, “Drink Like the French, Die Like the French,” sheds new light on this perception.