In studies that exclude abstainers, there is evidence to suggest that African Americans are more likely to develop and die from liver cirrhosis and other alcohol-related causes compared to European Americans (Galvan & Caetano, 2003; Grant, 1997; Greenfield, 2001; Stinson et al. 1993; Yoon et al., 2001), despite the fact that they do not engage in heavy drinking at greater rates than European Americans (SAMHSA, 2010, 2011). For example, Buka (2002) reported that mortality from liver cirrhosis was 1.27 times more likely among African Americans than European Americans. Additionally, Kochanek and colleagues (2004) reported that mortality rates for alcohol related diseases and disorders were 10% higher in the African American population than for other ethnic groups within the United States. In line these health disparities, while it has been generally understood that there are health benefits from consuming light to moderate levels of alcohol (Byles, Young, Furuya, & Parkinson, 2006), these findings do not seem to hold among African Americans. Sempos and colleagues (2003) reported there were no beneficial effects of moderate alcohol consumption, especially for African American men. In
