What's Up Docs? Should you do Dry January?
Jan 13, 2026
Dr. May van Schalkwyk, a Research Fellow focused on the impact of commercial actors on alcohol policies, joins the van Tulleken twins to explore the complexities of alcohol consumption. She discusses the societal harms of alcohol, including its links to cancer and the misconceptions around moderate drinking. They critically evaluate Dry January, highlighting its limitations and questioning its effectiveness for long-term change. May emphasizes the importance of informed choices and the need for evidence-based policies to address alcohol-related issues.
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Alcohol Is A Contextual Drug
- Alcohol is a drug with dose-dependent effects that vary by person, setting and time.
- Small social benefits exist but harms can be prolonged, severe and individual-specific.
Harms Go Far Beyond The Liver
- Alcohol causes many non-communicable diseases beyond liver disease.
- It increases risk for cancers, heart disease and other long-term illnesses.
Alcohol's Immediate And Global Toll
- Alcohol causes large-scale short-term injury as well as long-term disease burdens.
- Globally it contributes to millions of deaths and major societal costs each year.