Editor's note: Writer and comedian Andy Boyle published this essay in 2015 about his decision to quit drinking. Since then, the essay has been shared widely, particularly in the weeks around New Year's Day. We are reposting the essay here, along with a video made after Boyle wrote the essay and some links around the topic of alcohol and health.



Two years ago, a few days before New Year's Eve, I last got drunk. It was the closing night of the Lincoln Lodge, a fantastic comedy venue in Chicago in the back of a now-closed diner. They've since moved, but after that show, I thought I should take a breather from drinking — and eating meat — and focus on productivity.