Some people seeking to reduce their alcohol consumption and participate in Dry January may encounter conflicting advice from Canada’s health agencies. The Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research has introduced a website that calculates health risks, such as cancer, heart disease, and stroke, based on alcohol consumption. The guidelines issued by the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA) suggest that the risk of cancer increases with just two standard drinks per week. However, Health Canada still recommends limiting alcohol intake to 10 drinks per week for women and 15 drinks per week for men, despite the CCSA warning that this puts individuals at a high risk of serious illnesses such as breast and colon cancer.
Dr. Timothy Naimi from the University of Victoria’s Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research highlighted the ongoing issue of conflicting guidance between Health Canada and the CCSA in recent years. While both agencies agree that the only zero-risk approach to alcohol is not drinking at all, they differ in their recommended limits for alcohol consumption. Alcohol is classified as a Group 1 carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, placing it in the same category as tobacco smoke and asbestos. The U.S. Surgeon General has also called for more public awareness about the link between alcohol and various types of cancers.
Many Canadians are unaware of the connection between alcohol and cancer, as there are currently no health warnings or information labels on alcohol bottles in Canada. The federal government has yet to officially update its alcohol guidelines, with Health Canada still endorsing the 2011 low-risk drinking guidelines. The CCSA’s proposed guidelines are part of ongoing discussions with various stakeholders to determine the best approaches for communicating the risks of alcohol consumption to the public. Concerns have been raised about industry pressure influencing the government’s decision-making regarding alcohol guidelines.
The newly launched website knowalcohol.ca allows users to calculate their health risks, financial costs, and calorie consumption related to alcohol. Users can also input the number of drinks they are considering cutting back on to see the potential impact. The goal of the website is to provide credible and actionable information to empower consumers to make informed choices about their alcohol consumption. While the ultimate goal is not to push individuals to stop drinking altogether, reducing consumption can still significantly improve health outcomes and reduce associated risks.
The conflicting advice from Canada’s health agencies regarding alcohol consumption can be confusing for individuals looking to make changes in their drinking habits. The lack of health warnings on alcohol labels and the resistance to updating guidelines may be attributed to industry pressure. The government’s hesitancy to adopt revised guidelines may also be influenced by concerns about evidence cited by the CCSA. Overall, the aim of initiatives like knowalcohol.ca is to provide consumers with the information they need to make informed decisions about their alcohol consumption and reduce associated health risks in a non-confrontational manner.
