Actually, CPAP therapy is the gold standard. While weight reduction can be a part of the solution for some, and many who do snore are obese, a significant number are not.

Any snoring cannot be considered "benign" without (at the least) an in depth discussion with your physician.
There is absolutely no way to know with certainty that snoring is benign without a sleep study, or an oxygen saturation monitoring overnight. For the obese, weight reduction is a must, but any snoring must be considered a potential life threatening symptom of sleep apnea, until it is ruled out as such. For a quick look, check out: http://www.cpaptalk.com/cpaptalk-articles/sleep-apnea-prevalence-sleeping-enemy.html