UK society has a complex relationship with alcohol; it is ever-present within social activities, yet alcohol problems are heavily stigmatised. As such, the nuance of acceptability is a key focus for understanding societal perceptions and understandings of alcohol. This research explored how the boundary between acceptable and problematic alcohol use was negotiated in justifying drinking behaviors. The paper draws upon data from two World Cafés and five focus groups conducted in the UK with 76 participants including 25 males and 51 females aged 18 to 82. Data was analysed using discursive psychology with a focus on how participants disclosed and accounted for alcohol consumption. The analysis highlighted two key discursive patterns: 1) Speakers created an interactionally-specific boundary of acceptable alcohol use. 2) Speakers built upon this boundary, justifying and portraying their own drinking as socially acceptable. The boundary of acceptable alcohol use was locally constructed and shifted between speakers and contexts. This locally occasioned boundary demonstrates the challenge of objective guidance - such as the UK Chief Medical Officer’s unit guidelines - in relation to individualistic behaviors. Implications are discussed for how alcohol policy, health campaigns, and alcohol practitioners may consider this orientation to justifying drinking behaviors to make alcohol reduction efforts more effective.

英国社会与酒精有着复杂的关系；它始终存在于社会活动中，但酒精问题却被严重污名化。因此，可接受性的细微差别是理解社会对酒精的看法和理解的关键焦点。这项研究探讨了如何在合理饮酒行为中协商可接受和有问题的饮酒之间的界限。该论文利用了来自两个 World Cafés 和在英国进行的五个焦点小组的数据，其中有 76 名参与者，其中包括 25 名男性和 51 名女性，年龄在 18 至 82 岁之间。使用话语心理学分析数据，重点关注参与者如何披露和解释饮酒量。分析强调了两个关键的话语模式：1) 演讲者创建了一个可接受的酒精使用的交互特定边界。2) 演讲者建立在这个界限之上，为自己的饮酒辩护和描绘为社会可接受的。可接受饮酒的界限是在当地构建的，并在说话者和上下文之间转移。这种局部性的边界展示了客观指导的挑战——例如英国首席医疗官的单位指导方针——与个人主义行为有关。讨论了酒精政策、健康运动和酒精从业者如何考虑这种取向来证明饮酒行为的合理性，从而使减少酒精的努力更有效。这种局部性的边界展示了客观指导的挑战——例如英国首席医疗官的单位指导方针——与个人主义行为有关。讨论了酒精政策、健康运动和酒精从业者如何考虑这种取向来证明饮酒行为的合理性，从而使减少酒精的努力更有效。这种局部性的边界展示了客观指导的挑战——例如英国首席医疗官的单位指导方针——与个人主义行为有关。讨论了酒精政策、健康运动和酒精从业者如何考虑这种取向来证明饮酒行为的合理性，从而使减少酒精的努力更有效。