Drinking less is better.
The Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA) has publish the first update to the Canadian alcohol guidelines in 11 years. These new recommendations reflect the substantial advances in research and understanding of alcohol and health over the past decade. The guildelines were developed to ensure that people have the information they need to make informed choices about their health and alcohol consumption.
The guidance recommends that people consider reducing their alcohol use and provides people with the information they need to make their own choices about their health. People are going to have different comfort levels with different levels of risk. However, it also states that no amount of alcohol is safe, it presents a continuum of risk and indicates that the risk of alcohol-related consequences begins to increase when consuming more than two standard drinks per week, which is considered low risk.
Moderate risk is considered to be three to six standard drinks per week, where the risk of developing several cancers increases, while seven or more standard drinks — considered increasingly high risk — raises the risk of heart disease and stroke. You can read the detailed report here: Canada’s Guidance on Alcohol and Health.
SO WHAT ARE THE NEW GUIDELINES FOR ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION?
Alcohol has both immediate and long-term effects on your body, including an increased risk of injuries and chronic diseases. The less you drink, the lower your risk. Different factors put some people more at risk than others. Learn about Canada’s Guidance on Alcohol and Health to help you make informed choices about alcohol use.
Rethink your drinking
If you choose to drink alcohol, it’s important to know about its effects as well as risks, like injuries and chronic diseases. Canada’s Guidance on Alcohol and Health advises that the more alcohol you drink per week, the more you increase your health risk. For example:
- Not drinking at all has benefits, such as better health, and better sleep.
- Drinking 2 standard drinks or less per week will likely help you avoid alcohol-related consequences for yourself or others.
- Consuming more than 2 standard drinks per occasion is associated with an increased risk of harms to yourself and others, including injuries and violence.
- 3 to 6 standard drinks per week increases your risk of developing several types of cancer, including breast and colon cancer.
- 7 standard drinks or more per week significantly increases your risk of heart disease or stroke.
What is considered a standard drink?
- Beer: 341 mL (12 oz) of 5% alcohol
- Cooler, cider, ready-to-drink: 341 mL (12 oz) of 5% alcohol
- Wine: 142 mL (5 oz) of wine of 12% alcohol
- Spirits such as whisky, vodka, gin and others: 43 mL (1.5 oz) of 40% alcohol