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Turning to mocktails to get you through "Dry January?" Experts say be cautious

By Mallika Marshall, MD

January 19, 2023 / 5:29 PM EST / CBS Boston

Experts warn mocktails could trigger people to drink alcohol

BOSTON – If you're turning to mocktails to get you through Dry January, some experts say to be careful.

Mocktails are alcohol-free cocktails and they're becoming increasingly popular in the U.S. along with so-called "fake beer" and zero-proof wine and spirits.

They can provide tasty alternatives for people who don't drink or those trying to cut down on their alcohol consumption, but experts are warning that these alcohol masqueraders could actually trigger cravings in people with moderate to severe alcohol use disorder, which cause them to "fall off the wagon" or drink to excess.

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Mallika Marshall, MD

Mallika Marshall, MD is an Emmy-award-winning journalist and physician who has served as the HealthWatch Reporter for CBS Boston/WBZ-TV for over 20 years. A practicing physician Board Certified in both Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Dr. Marshall serves on staff at Harvard Medical School and practices at Massachusetts General Hospital at the MGH Chelsea Urgent Care and the MGH Revere Health Center, where she is currently working on the frontlines caring for patients with COVID-19. She is also a host and contributing editor for Harvard Health Publications (HHP), the publishing division of Harvard Medical School.

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