It is a hypothetical question rooted in science and public health reasoning. What if the United States banned beer and other alcohol consumption during extreme heat events. Europe is in the midst of a brutal heatwave, and it could be a sustained one. One measure some jurisdictions in France have taken include limiting or banning alcohol consumption. Is that a viable strategy in the U.S.?
Banning Alcohol On Hot Days? Come On!
The very thought of banning a “cold one” on a hot summer day is likely jarring or even offensive to some readers. I am not suggesting this or even advocating for it. However, hear me out. It is a strategy that may become a reality as extreme heat events continue to increase in intensity and frequency. The type of heat being experienced in Europe was never envisioned. Roughly 25% of homes have air conditioning in France. This is the case in other countries in Europe too.
Do you know why? Temperatures ranging from 100 to 111 degrees Fahrenheit were never expected in the climate humans there are used to experiencing. Even here in the U.S., there are places that have historically assumed they were in “No Need For AC regions.” Yet, the 2021 heatwave in the Pacific Northwest provided a new reality. Hundreds of deaths were directly attributable to the extreme heat, which at times shattered previous high temperature records.
Sweltering temperatures have prompted “red alert” warnings for heat in France. Throughout Europe, heat-related fatalities are growing, train services are being disrupted, and events are being canceled. During France’s annual Music Day, the French government actually banned alcohol consumption in “red alert” zones, according to media reports. The rationale was that limiting booze would free up emergency services for the most vulnerable members of the community. At least 40 people have drowned seeking relief from the heat. While everyone is at risk, impoverished people, children and elderly communities are particularly at risk. Media outlets have reported that several children and elderly people perished due to the extreme heat. As a reminder, over 70,000 people died in a brutal European heatwave in 2003.
While French “booze-banning” measures were about reducing stress on emergency services, numerous studies have found that alcohol consumption can be dangerous during extreme heat conditions. A 2024 review study published in the journal Environmental Health found that alcohol consumption primarily lowered core temperature of the body. Other evident impacts included dehydration and skin blood flow increases. St. Luke’s Penn Foundation website also noted that consumption of alcohol during hotter months elevates risks of dehydration, heat stroke, drowning, boating accidents, and car accidents.
Dangers Of Alcohol And Heat
The Foundation noted that CDC data suggests that 25% of U.S. drowning deaths and 20% of boating accidents involved alcohol, respectively. “Heat stroke occurs when your body cannot regulate its temperature. Normally, your body’s internal heat is cooled by perspiration,” noted their website. “If your body lacks enough fluids to make this process work (because of drinking alcohol), you’re not able to sweat enough to cool down,” the website continued. Andrew Grundstein is an expert on climate and health at the University of Georgia. “Alcohol can impair judgement and decision making, which can affect taking protective actions in heat,” note the author of a recent study on heat risks to FIFA World Cup workers.
According to the National Weather Service, heat kills more people in the U.S. than any other weather event. Yet, the public often downplay heat risks. Interestingly, however, some of those same people rightfully run for cover if there is a tornado or hurricane warning. One of the most compelling examples of climate change “DNA” in current weather is heatwaves. “Extreme heat events do occur within natural climate variation due to changes in global weather patterns,” noted the UK Met Office website. “However, the increase in the frequency, duration, and intensity of these events over recent decades is clearly linked to the observed warming of the planet and can be attributed to human activity,” it continued.
I make this point because this is not the same heat, on average, that you walked “uphill to school both ways” in. This heat is different and will continue to be. It will require different mitigation and adaptation strategies that may not look or feel familiar to us. I like a good Pinot Grigio as much as the next person. While I try to avoid overconsumption at any time, I am aware of the physiological and societal impacts during extreme heat.
I am smiling while typing this because I can only imagine the backlash in this country if laws or policies were passed limiting a cold one at a World Cup soccer match, baseball game or concert. We are creatures of habit, inertia, and free will. It’s our very nature. As a golfer, I know players are not happy when lightning forces them off the course. However, there is pretty compelling evidence that it is not very smart to be on a golf course carrying a bunch of metal sticks during an electrical storm. We have measures in place to reduce risks associated with lightning. Yet, heat kills more people annually than lightning in this country. That should “shock” us all to think again about how heat risk mitigation measures have evolved. Is France showing us one potential pathway with booze?
Cheers.
