Younger folks today view alcohol in very different ways than older generations. At the same time, public health advocates are ramping up pressure for more restrictive policies on alcohol consumption. Media coverage of drinking vacillates wildly between glowing coverage of the latest trends or hottest brands and eye-popping headlines about recent health studies and tragic events. What’s an industry member to say?

This fast-paced review strikes a balance between the often weighty topics of alcohol science and policy with the lighter and brighter feelings many have for drinking. In this seminar, Christopher Shepard, editor of the country’s only industry-facing publication devoted to in-depth coverage of these issues, Alcohol Issues INSIGHTS, helps you engage in these thorny discussions with clarity, perspective, and care.

Learning Objectives

• Review the latest global alcohol policy movements with an eye toward how they might manifest in the U.S.
• Reexamine the health research underpinning claims that there’s “no safe level” of drinking and learn about some more recent studies with mixed results
• Explore shifting portrayals and perceptions of alcohol as well as recent usage trends

About the Speaker

Christopher Shepard, Senior Editor

Beer Marketer's Insights

Christopher Shepard (he/him) writes and edits, follows trends, and analyzes data for the family of beer industry trade publications from Beer Marketer's Insights (BMI). He's a senior editor of craft-focused newsletter Craft Brew News and editor of Alcohol Issues INSIGHTS, covering industry environmental, social ,and governance issues alongside alcohol policy and science. He frequently presents at industry conferences and plays key roles in building BMI's annual data reports and webinars. Chris studied theatre, dance, and English at Muhlenberg College. He writes poetry, dances, and hikes near his home in the suburbs of New York City.