A new study confirms that alcohol is a major cause of over 60 entirely attributable diseases and injuries, ranging from liver cirrhosis to dementia. By temporarily crippling the immune system and altering neurological judgment, alcohol increases susceptibility to both chronic diseases and acute infections. While long-term abstinence allows for the partial recovery of brain damage and rapid cardiovascular improvements, researchers conclude that alcohol's systematic harms decisively outweigh its debated cardiac benefits.