ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½

Health

    • Low-risk alcohol guidance sparks debate as drinkers start examining habits, evidence

    Share

    Canada's new guidance on alcohol is sparking plenty of debate, and while some experts say it could lead to frank conversations with health providers to help drinkers make informed choices, others are questioning the advice to imbibe fewer than two drinks per week.

    Heidi Tworek, associate professor of public policy at the University of British Columbia, said the guidance aimed at changing people's behaviour to reduce their risk of alcohol-related cancer or heart disease should be accompanied by other strategies that help them assess their own situation based on family history or alcohol-use disorder, for example.

    The Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction said in a report released last week that no amount of alcohol is safe and those who consume up to two standard drinks per week face a low health risk. This increases to moderate risk for three to six weekly drinks, and is high beyond that.

    The guidance is more like a dial rather than a light switch that some people will find helpful as they monitor their consumption, said Tworek, a Canada Research Chair in health communication.

    "The guidance will reach some people, but there are a lot of people for whom this isn't going to resonate or they're never going to hear about it in the first place," she said.

    The CCSA updated its advice from 2011, when it said 15 drinks per week for men and 10 drinks per week for women was considered low risk. The new recommendations were based on the latest research into risk of cancers including of the breast and colon, as well as risk of injuries, accidents and violence.

    It also called for governments to mandate warning labels on alcohol bottles and cans so people know how many standard drinks they contain, the health risks involved and guidance on consumption.

    However, conveying information about people's individual risk will be a challenge without broader conversations about the evidence that justified the updated guidance, Tworek said.

    "This has been difficult in science communication in general, like during the pandemic: how do you communicate around uncertainty and why your guidelines are changing? It will take a lot of time and multiple modes of communication to reach people," she said.

    Tworek said the guidance should also be translated into different languages to serve various communities as federal and provincial governments do their part through education campaigns and public health policies.

    The office of federal Addictions Minister Carolyn Bennett said Health Canada "will continue to engage Canadians on the CCSA's recommendations" to reduce alcohol-related harms.

    Canada's guidance is stricter than in other countries including France, the United Kingdom and Australia.

    Compared with Canada, guidelines in Australia, for instance, suggest 10 drinks per week pose a low risk.

    However, standard drinks in Canada are about one-third stronger because they're based on 13.45 grams of ethanol versus 10 grams of ethanol in Australia, said Dr. Peter Butt, who co-chaired the CCSA's guidance project.

    "Their 10 drinks is really about seven of our standard drinks," said Butt, who is also an associate professor of family medicine at the University of Saskatchewan. "What we have in terms of the moderate risk range is three to six drinks. So the difference is one standard drink per week based on the Australian analysis of the data and what we took from Australia and updated."

    "We're not promoting abstinence," he said. "We are actually encouraging Canadians to be better educated with regards to beverage alcohol, reflect on their use and situate themselves with regards to the risks and harms and make an informed decision," he said, adding Canada's guidance is in keeping with a recent statement by the World Health Organization on alcohol-related harms about no safe level of consumption.

    The CCSA's recommendations mean one to two standard drinks per week represent a one in 1,000 level risk of death, consistent with other voluntary activity such as unprotected sex as per international standards. The risk of dying rises to one in 100 if six standard drinks a week are consumed, it said.

    "We're not presenting the relative risk, we're presenting the absolute risk," Butt said, adding the advice is based on population health studies.

    The guidelines have spurred some people to rethink their alcohol consumption.

    Lisa Scotland, who was enjoying a glass of wine with her sister during lunch at a restaurant in Vancouver, said seeing warning labels on containers of alcohol could make some people consider their choices.

    "I don't think the (guidance) will necessarily change my behaviour but I will think about it every time I have a drink," she said.

    "I don't think a lot of people think about cancer risks so a label would be a good idea. If it could help, wouldn't it be worth it? If it can destroy your liver, shouldn't there be a warning?"

    Scotland noted the risks of smoking were well-known long before warning labels were placed on cigarette packages but said text and graphic images about health risks helped many people kick the habit.

    Her sister, Dianna Reimer, said warning labels on alcohol may be more effective for younger people compared with those who are set in their ways when it comes to the amount they drink.

    "I understand the risks but sometimes you have the worst day ever and you have a few glasses of wine," she said.

    Dan Malleck, a medical historian on alcohol policy at Brock University in St. Catharines, Ont., called the guidance "fearmongering" that ignores the social benefits some people gain from gathering to enjoy a few drinks.

    "There's a certain ideological perspective in this, which is the perspective that alcohol is no good, has no benefits, only harms. And we just need to chart how much harm you should be aware of."

    "I see the language of temperance, of moral judgment. And I think that's a problem," he said.

    People who have an illness that may put them at greater risk of harm from alcohol are better off monitoring how much they drink, but "everyday people" should not be stigmatized for having more than two drinks at a sitting, Malleck said.

    The CCSA could discredit itself by "going too far in one direction," with its guidance, he said.

    Malleck also challenged the methodology used for the guidance, but Butt said it's based on international standards and the "best evidence," which makes the risks "more transparent" so people can make their own choices.

    Dr. Eric Cadesky, a family physician in Vancouver, said he will be asking patients about their alcohol intake during periodic health examinations and when discussing concerns such as sleep problems.

    "It's an opportunity to check in on their alcohol use and to inform them on what we know now," he said, adding nurses, social workers and mental-health professionals could also be trusted sources on the recommendations.

    "Trust is such an important commodity today and there are many people who can deliver that message. Unfortunately, we know about 20 per cent of the population throughout Canada does not have a family doctor. And those who have a family doctor do not have ready access."

    This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 23, 2023.

    Canadian Press health coverage receives support through a partnership with the Canadian Medical Association. CP is solely responsible for this content.

    If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction or mental health matters, the following resources may be available to you:

    • Hope for Wellness Helpline for Indigenous Peoples (English, French, Cree, Ojibway and Inuktitut): 1-855-242-3310
    • : 1-866-585-0445
    • Drug Rehab Services: 1-877-254-3348
    • SMART Recovery
    • Families for Addiction Recovery: 1-855-377-6677
    • Kids Help Phone: 1-800-668-6868 

    CTVNews.ca ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½

    Since she was a young girl growing up in Vancouver, Ginny Lam says her mom Yat Hei Law made it very clear she favoured her son William, because he was her male heir.

    The province's public security minister said he was "shocked" Thursday amid reports that a body believed to be that of a 14-year-old boy was found this week near a Hells Angels hideout near Quebec City.

    An Ontario man says it is 'unfair' to pay a $1,500 insurance surcharge because his four-year-old SUV is at a higher risk of being stolen.

    Emergency crews in northern Ontario found the bodies of four people inside a home where a fire broke out Thursday night.

    The Montreal couple from Mexico and their three children facing deportation have received a temporary residence permit.

    Canada

    • Emergency crews in northern Ontario found the bodies of four people inside a home where a fire broke out Thursday night.

    • Since she was a young girl growing up in Vancouver, Ginny Lam says her mom Yat Hei Law made it very clear she favoured her son William, because he was her male heir.

    • A field trip aimed at educating Toronto students about the plight of a northern Ontario First Nation ended with them taking part in a protest where pro-Palestinian slogans were shouted.

    • The Montreal couple from Mexico and their three children facing deportation have received a temporary residence permit.

    • The second-degree murder trial of Thomas Hamp is being adjourned until December so an expert witness central to the trial can testify.

    World

    Politics

    Health

    Sci-Tech

    Entertainment

    • Lawyers representing the producers of 'Russians at War' say they may pursue legal action against Ontario's public broadcaster for pulling support for the controversial documentary amid outcry from the Ukrainian community and some Canadian politicians.

    • Viewers of Jeopardy got a chance to test their knowledge of trivia about B.C.'s biggest city Wednesday night.

    Business

    Lifestyle

    • They say a dog is a man’s best friend. In the case of Darren Cropper, from Bonfield, Ont., his three-year-old Siberian husky and golden retriever mix named Bear literally saved his life.

    Sports

    • BREAKING NEWS

      BREAKING NEWS

      Agreement to build a new NHL arena at LeBreton Flats has been reached between the Ottawa Senators and the National Capital Commission (NCC), sources tell CTV News Ottawa.

    • The Winnipeg Jets have some huge holes to fill on both offence and defence this season.

    Autos

    • An Ontario man says it is 'unfair' to pay a $1,500 insurance surcharge because his four-year-old SUV is at a higher risk of being stolen.

    • Video of a brazen daylight auto theft which shows a suspect running over a victim in a stolen luxury SUV has been released by police west of Toronto.

    Local Spotlight

    They say a dog is a man’s best friend. In the case of Darren Cropper, from Bonfield, Ont., his three-year-old Siberian husky and golden retriever mix named Bear literally saved his life.

    A growing group of brides and wedding photographers from across the province say they have been taken for tens of thousands of dollars by a Barrie, Ont. wedding photographer.

    Paleontologists from the Royal B.C. Museum have uncovered "a trove of extraordinary fossils" high in the mountains of northern B.C., the museum announced Thursday.

    The search for a missing ancient 28-year-old chocolate donkey ended with a tragic discovery Wednesday.

    The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is celebrating an important milestone in the organization's history: 50 years since the first women joined the force.

    It's been a whirlwind of joyful events for a northern Ontario couple who just welcomed a baby into their family and won the $70 million Lotto Max jackpot last month.

    A Good Samaritan in New Brunswick has replaced a man's stolen bottle cart so he can continue to collect cans and bottles in his Moncton neighbourhood.

    David Krumholtz, known for roles like Bernard the Elf in The Santa Clause and physicist Isidor Rabi in Oppenheimer, has spent the latter part of his summer filming horror flick Altar in Winnipeg. He says Winnipeg is the most movie-savvy town he's ever been in.

    Edmontonians can count themselves lucky to ever see one tiger salamander, let alone the thousands one local woman says recently descended on her childhood home.

    • Thousands of protesters are expected to march into downtown Vancouver on Friday, demanding more action from their government to address the growing climate crisis.

    • Members of the only organized support group for the Vancouver Canucks are feeling slighted after losing their usual space at Rogers Arena.

    • There have been more reports of a Bitcoin extortion scam seeking to exploit viewers of "adult content" in B.C.'s Lower Mainland, according to the RCMP.

    • The Ford government is considering restricting Ontario municipalities from installing new bike lanes that would require the removal of lanes of traffic, a source confirms to CTV News Toronto.

    • For the last seven-and-half months, Toronto resident Heather McArthur has been living out what she describes as her 'worst nightmare.' On Feb. 7, her then three-year-old son Jacob along with his father Loc Phu 'Jay' Le departed for what was supposed to be a week-long visit to Vietnam to celebrate the Lunar New Year with family, McArthur says.

    • A field trip aimed at educating Toronto students about the plight of a northern Ontario First Nation ended with them taking part in a protest where pro-Palestinian slogans were shouted.

    • Defence counsel for accused murderer John-Christopher Arrizza argues he was in an “altered state of mind†due to days of drug and alcohol use, sleep deprivation and not eating, when he fatally stabbed a man at a Banff nightclub in 2022.

    • Calgary pickleball players will soon have a dozen new courts to play on.

    • Injury prevention experts are urging Calgarians to ride carefully as e-scooter crashes land hundreds of people in the hospital.

    • BREAKING NEWS

      BREAKING NEWS

      Agreement to build a new NHL arena at LeBreton Flats has been reached between the Ottawa Senators and the National Capital Commission (NCC), sources tell CTV News Ottawa.

    • Police say a man, 34, who was taken to hospital in critical condition after being shot Thursday night has died.

    • The Ford government is considering restricting Ontario municipalities from installing new bike lanes that would require the removal of lanes of traffic, a source confirms to CTV News Toronto.

    • The Montreal couple from Mexico and their three children facing deportation have received a temporary residence permit.

    • Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault has invited his Quebec counterpart to the negotiating table to reach an agreement on caribou before Christmas. He noted that the province could benefit from hundreds of millions of dollars in funding to protect biodiversity.

    • The province's public security minister said he was "shocked" Thursday amid reports that a body believed to be that of a 14-year-old boy was found this week near a Hells Angels hideout near Quebec City.

    • DEVELOPING

      DEVELOPING

      Edmonton police are warning about traffic disruptions on Friday near the headquarters of the Alberta Teachers' Association, where a protest against the inclusion of sexual orientation and gender identity in school curricula will be taking place.

    • A mother and daughter say they woke up to flames encroaching on their third-floor apartment near Commonwealth Stadium early Friday morning.

    • WEATHER

      WEATHER

      The big weather story today won't really be rain, it'll be the cooler and breezier conditions.

    • A Nova Scotia woman has applied for a medically assisted death, saying after years of battling to receive out-of-country surgery for an illness that causes "indescribable" pain, she struggles to maintain the will to live.

    • Gas prices increased in all three Maritime provinces for the first time in more than a month.

    • A section of Herring Cove Road in the Spryfield area of Halifax is closed to traffic in both directions following a single-vehicle collision Friday morning.

    • The Winnipeg Police Service (WPS) has made an arrest following a fire that claimed the lives of two people.

    • Shamattawa RCMP are searching for a missing six-year-old boy who hasn’t been seen since Wednesday morning.

    • A Winnipeg pet rescue is putting out a warning to dog owners across the city about a possible parvovirus in the province.

    • Driving into the tunnels of Nutrien's Rocanville mine, the largest potash mine in the world by production volume, feels like driving down a lonely highway in the middle of the night.

    • Regina police, fire and EMS were called to a three vehicle collision Friday morning outside the CTV News building.

    • The second-degree murder trial of Thomas Hamp is being adjourned until December so an expert witness central to the trial can testify.

    • Amber and Adam Brueckner have a pool-shaped hole in their backyard – and their wallets.

    • The missing family that was last seen in Kitchener, Ont. on Sept. 1 has been found safe, according to police.

    • A 43-year-old Guelph woman is wanted after police say she broke into a house and made herself at home.

    • The second-degree murder trial of Thomas Hamp is being adjourned until December so an expert witness central to the trial can testify.

    • A gym teacher at a private Christian school in Saskatoon has been charged. Terra MacEwan, 44, is charged with assault with a weapon. A Saskatoon mother who spoke with CTV News says her autistic son was MacEwan's victim.

    • Driving into the tunnels of Nutrien's Rocanville mine, the largest potash mine in the world by production volume, feels like driving down a lonely highway in the middle of the night.

    • Emergency crews in northern Ontario found the bodies of four people inside a home where a fire broke out Thursday night.

    • Two people emerged unhurt after a float plane had a hard landing late Friday morning on Lake Temiskaming.

    • Today, the 71 year old is marking 50 years a paramedic. He said he never aspired to move into management or a desk job, he enjoys being on the road, helping patients too much.

    • Around 2:20 a.m. on Sept. 15, police were called to the area of Richmond Street and Mill Street for a report of an assault — a man fled the aera on foot before officers arrived.

    • A research team in London is looking into whether or not ChatGPT can be used as a diagnostic tool for medical learners and clinicians.

    • Two men from Barrie have been charged after a deadly shooting at a park in Keswick on Wednesday.

    • Police are investigating after they say several firearms and other valuables were stolen from a home in Tiny Township.

    • The Barrie Transit Field Trip Pass Program offers free elementary and high school transportation for students and teachers, removing the hassle of booking charter buses and managing the costs.

    • Windsor police say a 25-year-old mother has been charged with the drowning death of her 5-year-old child in the family’s backyard pool.

    • On Thursday, just after 9:30 a.m., a man was found and taken to police headquarters, where he was released with conditions and a future court date.

    • Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island (TWEPI) has launched a new visual journey, called “Eyes on Artâ€.

    • In a rare move, the Greater Victoria School District Board of Education has been slapped with a ministerial order from the province requiring it to update a student safety plan – drawing concern around political posturing leading up to an election.

    • Getting a bed at one of British Columbia's drug detoxification facilities is like winning the lottery, the vice-president on the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council says.

    • The Union of B.C. Municipalities is asking the provincial government to make transit free for teenagers.

    • A pair of runaway pigs are in the custody of an animal sanctuary in the Okanagan after evading police and volunteers for hours earlier this week.

    • The Red Bridge, a historic landmark in Kamloops, B.C., was completely destroyed by fire early Thursday morning.

    • Animal protection officers in British Columbia have rescued three pit bulls – including one that gave birth to 10 puppies – from a rat-infested home in Kelowna.

    • A Vulcan, Alta., man has been charged with a Lethbridge woman's murder after her body was found in the Oyen area.

    • A Lethbridge couple got a good reminder as to why you should keep your vehicle doors locked at all times.

    • Lethbridge residents who live near the police range can expect to hear plenty of shots fired Wednesday and Thursday.

    • A new community health profile in the Algoma District shows the area is significantly below provincial averages in a number of health metrics.

    • North Bay Police Service says one person has died following an industrial accident at the Ontario Northland Transportation Commission Rail Yard on Tuesday.

    • Three northern Ontario residents are charged with drug trafficking after the vehicle they were in got stuck along a bush road off Highway 17 on Monday.

    N.L.

    Shopping Trends

    The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us.

    Stay Connected
    Follow CTV News