Professor René Kahn argues for a lifelong alcohol break

Professor René Kahn already mentioned the article about craving for alcohol. This professor of psychiatry thinks that people are not sufficiently aware of the adverse effects of alcohol consumption. That is why writing the book 'On your health?' Also necessary. We suggested Dr. Kahn some questions about his view on alcohol.

Not being sufficiently aware of the adverse effects of alcohol consumption and poorly substantiated scientific research on the medicinal effect of a glass of red wine, were for Prof. dr. René Kahn, professor of psychiatry, gives two good reasons for reading the book 'Op je health?' to write. Kahn: “It's old news that alcohol isn't good for you. But people often have no idea how bad the effects of alcohol can be. I felt the need to tell you how the fork is in the stem. In addition, I wanted to undermine the patently untrue research into the medicinal effect of a glass of wine a day.”

Pause forever

The dissenting voice was thus expressed in a book. “During my research into the adverse effects of alcohol use, I was still amazed at the relationship between alcohol and cancer,” says Kahn. “I mean, I did know that there is a link between alcohol use and different types of cancer, but now that I saw the numbers in black and white, I found it confrontational. Getting cancer, partly due to alcohol use, is a long-term risk that does not simply disappear with a limited break period. If you want to lower the risk of serious diseases, you should never drink again.”

New alcohol policy

The professor himself no longer drinks. “I already drank a little and if I did drink a glass of wine or beer, I immediately noticed this in my night's sleep,” adds Kahn. “So I just stopped doing it altogether. I still miss it. With a delicious dish, I can sometimes think back with melancholy to that glass of wine. But it's not worth it to me at all." To persuade more people to take a lifelong break, Dutch alcohol policy must change drastically. Kahn now thinks it's just a weak affair. “Providing information only has a relative effect,” says Kahn. “Raising the excise duties considerably and limiting the number of issue points to the liquor stores would be a step in the right direction. Before that, the alcohol will claim many human lives, I fear.”