Alcohol

Alcohol is a legal and regulated drug in Canada and is one of the most highly used substances in Newfoundland and Labrador.  While alcohol is a popular part of our provincial and national landscape for social and cultural reasons, it also has known risks and harms. Canada has developed a National Alcohol Strategy to address problematic alcohol consumption.

The economic cost of alcohol-related harm across Canada is $14.6 billion per year. (CCSA, 2017)

The risks of alcohol consumption can be both short-term and long-term.

Short-terms risks include but are not limited to:
• Increase risk for violence.
• Impaired driving.
• Impaired decision making.

Long-term risks include but are not limited to:
• Chronic health conditions such as heart disease, ischemic stroke, hypertension, and certain cancers.
• Injury and possible death.

One way to reduce the associated risks and harms of alcohol use is to follow the Canadian Low-Risk Drinking Guidelines. The guidelines help Canadians moderate their alcohol consumption and reduce their immediate and long-term alcohol-related harm.

The Canadian Low-Risk Drinking Guidelines recommend that women drink no more than two drinks a day or 10 per week. For men, they recommend no more than three drinks a day or 15 per week. An extra drink is allowed on special occasions.

To learn more about alcohol, low-risk drinking guidelines and how to reduce your risks, please visit our Rethink That Drink Campaign.  Here you will learn how and why time, sex, health, choice and size matters, when it comes to making decisions around alcohol use
.