The Daily Dish: February 4, 2016

Today's first course?

CDC Urges Women Not to Drink Alcohol Unless Using Birth Control
In an effort to reduce the rate of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, members with the CDC have issued a statement urging women of childbearing age to avoid drinking alcohol unless they're using some form of contraception. According to a new report, an estimated 3.3 million women in the United States between the ages of 14 and 44 are at risk of exposing a developing baby to alcohol "because they are drinking, sexually active, and not using birth control to prevent pregnancy." The report also found that three out of four women looking to get pregnant do not stop drinking when they stop using birth control — which is particularly alarming given that half of pregnancies in the U.S. are unplanned, and a woman can be pregnant for up to six weeks without knowing it.

Helen Mirren Chews Out Drunk Drivers in Budweiser's New Super Bowl Ad
In a new ad that will premiere during the Big Game this weekend, British screen legend Helen Mirren tears into would-be drunk drivers with a clear message: Don't. Mirren, leaning into her well-known public persona of a "notoriously frank and uncensored British lady," calls on viewers to be smarter than whatever impulse makes them want to drive after drinking, and think of how many lives will not be put at risk unless they refrain from the act. Budweiser has pledged to donate $1 to safe ride programs every time the hashtag #GiveADamn is used on social media to pledge not to drive drunk. Hashtags will be counted until 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, and the donation will be capped at $1 million. To see the full commercial in advance of its TV debut this Sunday, click on this story in the News in Brief section.

Ben & Jerry's Officially Announces First-Ever Vegan Line
Score one for vegans with a sweet tooth! Nearly eight months after the initial announcement, the long-awaited Ben & Jerry's dairy-free ice cream line is finally here. The vegan pints are made using almond milk and will hit stores and scoop shops later this month at $5.69 each. The first four flavors of the new vegan frozen treats are P.B. Cookies, Coffee Caramel Fudge, and two familiar flavors in dairy-free form: Chocolate Fudge Brownie, and the brand's beloved Chunky Monkey.

That's today's Daily Dish, thanks for watching. Stop by tomorrow for another helping.