Meta-analysis: light to moderate alcohol reduces heart disease risks

End point	Number of studies	RR (95% CI)
CV mortality	21	0.75 (0.70-0.80)
Incident CHD	29	0.71 (0.66-0.77)
CHD mortality	31	0.75 (0.68-0.81)
Incident stroke	17	0.98 (0.91-1.06)
Stroke mortality	10	1.06 (0.91-1.23)

Maybe my problem is that I have the wrong vices.  I love to eat cookies and muffins but I can barely finish a glass of wine or a bottle of ale.  The data is now quite overwhelming: light to moderate alcohol intake reduces the risk of cardiovascular death (heart attacks, etc.) by 25% to 30%.  The article cited below discusses a recent meta-analysis of CV risks.
Steve Stiles. Light to moderate drinking: Likely cardioprotective, but recommended? . theheart.org. ; Feb 25, 2011. Accessed at http://www.theheart.org/article/1189421.do