On the heals of an study conducted by the University of Oxford (see Wine and Health) in which alcohol was implicated in increasing the risks of some cancers, the French government will ban all outside alcohol consumption beginning July 31, 2009. This new policy essentially curtails all alcohol service in outdoor extensions of restaurants, bars and cafes. Not surprisingly, the Academie du Vin de France which includes some of the most prestigious wine producers in the country, has protested loudly. It looks like the pastime of people watching from that outdoor French café as you sip from your glass of wine is in jeopardy!
Tags: cancer, French government
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Ah, what a shame. I can see the concern, however, that with the health of the citizens at stake and if it is anything like this country, the legal issues, there would be no choice except to say “Step away from the wine”. The romance of France is slowly slipping away.