The non-alcoholic beverage market is booming right now: zero-proof bottle shops and bars are popping up across the country; a non-alcoholic beer brand is even taking over as the top selling beer at Whole Foods. And the Olympic Games have their first beer sponsor, courtesy of alcohol-free Corona Cero.
While it’s great that more people are taking to heart public health messages that reducing alcohol consumption can improve well-being and extend life, an important lesson from vaping as a replacement for cigarettes is being overlooked: What may be good for adults may be harmful to kids. Without any meaningful restrictions on the sale of non-alcoholic beverages to youths, the country is just one JUUL-like marketing push away from a potential public health crisis.