Understand the Standard  is brought to you by Responsibility.org, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to empowering adults of legal drinking age to drink responsibly.

This educational program is designed for people of legal drinking age to better understand what a standard serving of alcohol is. This is not intended as a scientific tool for measuring alcohol.

Not all alcohol beverages contain the same amount of alcohol, and there is not one type of alcohol beverage that is safer or more responsible than another. Many lifestyle choices carry potential risks, and the consumption of alcohol is no exception. No one should drink alcohol to obtain potential health benefits and some individuals should not drink at all. No one should drink before they are of the legal drinking age or older as determined by law. Those who choose to drink should adhere to the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans (USDGAs) and do so responsibly and in moderation. According to the USDGAs, “adults of legal drinking age can choose not to drink, or to drink in moderation by limiting intake to 2 drinks or less in a day for men and 1 drink or less in a day for women, when alcohol is consumed. Drinking less is better for health than drinking more. There are some adults who should not drink alcohol, such as women who are pregnant.”

Everyone should discuss their alcohol consumption with their health providers — together they can determine what is best for that person based on individual risk factors, such as family history, genetics, and lifestyle.