Bah. I try to limit myself to a 6 pack a week, well under guidelines, but alcohol doesn't have a dramatically bad effect on mortality until you're in the 20 drink / week range.

I don't think alcohol is somehow better than anything else, but I don't think it's that harmful either until you get well beyond the 14d / wk max recommendation.

There are plenty of other factors like meat consumption and exercise habits that have a bigger effect. I'm not giving up one harmless vice for an infinitesimal benefit. We're all going to die of something.