Mark,
you crack me up! I hear alcoholics, every day, in AA meetings say that they only "drank for the effect". "Normal" people drink to get a little "tipsy". I can assure you that those of us in recovery for a while are more open minded about alcohol then you think. I buy drinks for people on occasion. Even the (AA) "Big Book" states that 80% of people are "normal" drinkers and that's ok.

Glenn, I don't believe that I have a "myopic" view on alcohol at all,although I have "strongly" counseled people on occasion who obviously have drinking problems.

The bottom line here is that alcohol and tobacco use are implicated as a causitive factor for H&N cancer and also for recurrence (and many other forms of death as well).

This is directly from MSKCCC's website

"Tobacco & Alcohol Use
People who use tobacco (including smokeless tobacco) or drink alcohol excessively are at much greater risk for the disease. For example, smoking raises the risk of cancer of the larynx (voice box) or hypopharynx (the top portion of the esophagus) to 5 to 35 times the risk of nonsmokers. Heavy use of alcohol raises the risk of those cancers 2 to 5 times. Those who smoke and also drink heavily might be raising their risk to 100 times that of non-users."

So who are these imaginary people with their "myopic" viewpoint? It isn't evident who "they" are in this thread anyway.

If you want to drink, knock yourself out. MSKCCC's key buzzword is "Heavy". I doubt if an occasional cab with a steak is going to kill you (but be sure to trim the fat -that's for you Brian ;-)

Jen - there are better ways to get calories than alcohol. If you enjoy an occasional drink just admit it. Rationalizing it out for the "calories" is skating on thin ice.