Canada's Alcohol Guidelines Were Just Updated & You Might Want To Put That Glass Down

If you've been wondering about how much alcohol you should be drinking in Canada on the daily, the answer is here.

The Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA) has just updated Canada's Low-Risk Alcohol Drinking Guidelines and, well, you might want to put down your drink.

Because, according to the experts, "even in small quantities, alcohol is not good for your health."

The report says "alcohol-caused consequences" increase with the number of drinks you have per week, with two drinks labelled "negligible to low risk," three to six drinks "moderate risk," and seven and more "increasingly high risk".

So, how much should Canadians be drinking on a weekly basis? Two drinks or fewer per week seems to be the optimum amount, as the research says this allows the drinker to avoid negative consequences, at least for the most part.

Those having three to six drinks each week apparently have a higher chance of developing certain cancers, while seven or more drinks in a week increase the risk of heart disease or stroke, too.

This is a far cry from the previous guidelines, created by the CCSA in 2011. Then, it was recommend that men limit alcohol to no more than "three standard drinks per day," and fifteen drinks per week.

For women, the former guidelines suggested no more than two drinks a day and ten per week.

This latest report has also noted other differences between the consumption habits of men and women.

"Men drink more alcohol than women do and are more likely to drink in excess," the report states, adding that this increases the risk of driving collisions and drink-related medical injuries.

However, lifetime health risks increase more steeply for women consuming anything above "low levels" of alcohol.

One of the biggest concerns of overconsumption is cancer, as alcohol is linked to seven types and "causes nearly 7,000 cases of cancer deaths each year in Canada."

Heart disease is another issue, with the report pointing out that drinking too much increases the risk for issues such as heart attacks, heart disease and high blood pressure.

Another reason to lay off the booze for a bit? The report notes its association with violent and aggressive behaviour.

The report is also calling on the government to create a healthier environment, and for Health Canada to pass regulations that require "the mandatory labelling of all alcoholic beverages on the number of standard drinks in a container."

So, if you've already been thinking about cutting back a bit, take this as a sign. Your non-hungover self will thank you for it later!

Narcity does not condone the overconsumption of alcohol or other substances. If you're going to drink alcohol or consume cannabis, please do so responsibly and only if you're of legal age.

This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.