Canada Recommends Limiting Alcohol to just 2 Drinks per Week
The Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA) identifies cancer, heart disease, and stroke as health risks of drinking alcohol.
The new guidelines, updated in Jan 2023, utilized the latest research on alcohol-related risks. It is important to note that some health experts viewed the new guidelines with skepticism and risked creating "anxiety and stress" among Canadians.
The guidance is founded on the principle of autonomy in harm reduction and the fundamental idea that people living in Canada have a right to know that all alcohol use comes with risk.
Key points from the guidance:
There is a continuum of risk and harm associated with weekly alcohol use
0 drinks/week — There are benefits to Not drinking - better health, better sleep
Less than 2 drinks/week - Likely to avoid alcohol-related consequences for yourself and/or others
3–6 drinks/week - Risk of developing cancers increases, including breast and colon cancer
7+ drinks/week - Risk of heart disease or stroke increases significantly
Consuming more than 2 standard drinks per occasion is associated with an increased risk of harm to self and others, including injuries and violence.
When pregnant or trying to get pregnant, there is no known safe amount of alcohol use
When breastfeeding, not drinking alcohol is the safest
No matter what, for your health, less alcohol is better
(The CCSA considers a standard drink to be a 12oz (355ml) serving of 5%-alcohol beer, a 5oz (148ml) glass of 12%-alcohol wine, or a shot glass of 40% spirits)
The new guidelines represent a shift from previous 2011 recommendations. In 2011, low-risk consumption was defined as >10 drinks/week for women and >15 drinks/week for men.
The NHS (United Kingdom) recommends no more than 6 6oz glasses of wine or 6 pints of 4% beer per week, preferably across three days or more. Health officials in the United States recommend no more than 2 drinks/day for men and only 1/day for women.
Canada's Guidance on Alcohol and Health: Final Report (January 2023)
Brochure - Canada's Low-Risk Alcohol Drinking Guidelines