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Alcohol

HomeHealth TopicsSubstance use healthAlcohol
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Four adults outside at night with bright lights

Alcohol is a highly popular legal drug. However, many people regularly drink at levels that put their health at risk.

If you choose to drink you can lower your health risks by following Canada's Guidance on Alcohol and Health.

Guidance on Alcohol and Health

In January 2023, the Guidance on Alcohol and Health was released by the Canadian Centre on Substance Use & Addiction. The new guidance helps people make informed choices about their own health and alcohol consumption. One of the main messages is: If you drink alcohol, it’s better to drink less. Learn about the key messages.

Drinking alcohol, even in small amounts, is damaging to your health and can increase health risks, including seven types of cancer, most types of cardiovascular diseases, liver disease and violence.

There is a clear continuum of risk associated with average weekly alcohol consumption, where the risk of harm from alcohol is:

• Low for individuals who consume two standard drinks or fewer per week;

• Moderate for those who consume between three and six standard drinks per week; and

• Very high for those who consume seven standard drinks or more per week.

Remember, any reduction in your alcohol use is beneficial. Count your drinks and try to limit yourself to no more than two standard drinks per occasion to reduce the risk of injuries and harm to yourself and others.

When pregnant or trying to get pregnant, zero is best as there is no known safe amount of alcohol use.

When breastfeeding, not drinking alcohol is safest.

Alcohol health risks

Short-term health effects

May include an increased risk of injury from:

  • falls
  • motor vehicle collisions
  • fights
  • family violence
  • child abuse
  • sexual assault
Long-term health effects
  • heart disease
  • high blood pressure
  • stroke
  • liver disease
  • cancers of the head and neck, liver, colon and breast
  • alcohol dependence
  • anxiety
  • depression
  • suicide

If you choose to drink you can lower your health risks by following Canada's Guidance on Alcohol and Health. 

What is a standard drink?

A standard drink is a unit of measurement used to define the amount of alcohol in a beverage.

One standard drink of alcohol in Canada is:

Icon of bottle of beer

12 oz. (341 mL)
of 5% alcohol beer,
cider or cooler

Icon of wine glass

5 oz. (142 mL)
of 12% alcohol
wine

Icon of glass of liquor

1.5 oz. (43 mL)
of 40% liquor

What is a standard drink?

What is a standard drink (transcript)

Video description

The video host walks through outdoor market holding a tray with three drinks on it.

Host

Today I’m in market square, challenging people to see if they know what is in a standard sized drink. Let’s see how they pour.

Video description

“What is a standard drink?” Text accompanied by a green icon representing a beer, a blue icon representing a glass of wine and a pink icon representing a mixed drink.
Host stands in outdoor market, with a man and a woman. He points at objects off camera.

Host

If you were to have a drink, would you be going with wine, or a beer, or a mixed drink?

Man

I’d go for a mixed drink

Host

A mixed drink, ok how about you?

Woman

Probably a beer

Host

Pour me what you think to be a standard beer.

Video description

Several close up clips of liquid being poured from a clear plastic pitcher into a beer glass.
Host is standing at a table with liquids in bottles and clear plastic pitchers, and drink glasses, beer glasses, and wine glasses. People pour the liquids from the bottles and pitchers into the glasses. Host talks to some of the people as they pour. A woman says, “that’s a German sized pour!” host laughs.
Man in grey t-shirt pours liquid into a beer glass.

Host

Wow, okay, ya, ambitious, Okay, I like that. Let’s see how that compares to a standard sized beer.

Video description

Close up of a standard-size beer in glass, next to the glass poured by the man in grey t-shirt.

Host

So you’re actually, you got a couple of extra ounces in there.

Video description

Woman pours red liquid from bottle into wine glass
Several close up clips of liquid being poured from bottle into wine glass

Host

I’m going to get you to pour one glass of red.

Woman

Oh, look at that colour!

Video description

Host compares woman’s glass to a standard sized glass of wine

Host

Let’s see how you stack up here. So this is a standard glass of wine which is five ounces.

Video description

Close up of two full beer glasses on table, one beer glass has a label that reads “standard drink.” Transitions to close up of a tray on a table with two drinks containing clear liquid and ice. Next to the tray is a bottle with clear liquid in it. Cut to host standing next to the table with the man and woman.

Host

We know that a standard beer is 12 ounces. A standard mixed drink would have 1.5 ounces of liquor.
Several clips of people looking closely at two glasses on the tray, while host points at each one and asks “which one of these drinks has 1.5 ounces of liquor and which one has three ounces?” Clips of people answering as they look at the drinks.

Man in black t-shirt

Oh it would be impossible to tell, you’d have to see them make it

Man with dark hair

You can’t

Man in grey t-shirt

I don’t think I can tell, they are they exact same

Video description

Man with glasses is shown on screen standing and listening. Man with blue checkered shirt asks “Why do you think it would be important to know what is a standard sized drink?” A man with a beard answers.

Man with beard

Well if they are consuming and know that they want to be drinking back just one beer or they want to have a couple of beers, in this event here, they’d be thinking “oh I had two beers,” but in fact they might have had almost four.

Video description

Cut to host standing in front of camera.

Host

People who drink often overpour, and sometimes when you go to the restaurant or bar, serving sizes are actually larger than you think.

Words on screen

Standard size your drink!
One standard drink of alcohol in Canada is: 12 oz. 341 ml. 5% alcohol beer cider cooler
5 oz. 142 mL 12% alcohol wine
1.5 oz. 43 mL 40% alcohol liquor.

How many standard drinks have you really had?

Serving sizes may be larger than you think. Check your pour. Know how much is in your drink. 

Icon of tallboy, pint and pitcher with measurements

Icons of large glass, half carafe, and bottle with measurements

Icons of mixed, mickey and bottle with measurements

Alcohol poisoning

Alcohol poisoning is a serious problem that can occur when someone drinks too much alcohol too fast. Alcohol is metabolized by the liver, but it takes time! It can take your body over an hour to process (metabolize) one standard drink.

Signs of alcohol poisoning include:

  • unconsciousness and cannot be awakened
  • breathing slowly or irregularly - less than eight breaths per minute, or a gap of more than 10 seconds between breaths
  • cool, clammy, pale, or bluish skin
  • seizures
  • vomiting while sleeping

If you suspect someone has alcohol poisoning:

1. Call 911.

2. Put the person in the recovery position.

3. Do not leave the person alone until help arrives.

Recovery position

If someone passes out from drinking alcohol, you can help reduce the risk of choking by moving them into the recovery position:

1. Raise the person's arm closest to you straight above the head. Straighten the leg closest to you. Bend the other leg at the knee and bring the other arm across the chest.

2. Gently roll the person towards you, guarding their head from injury.

3. Tilt the head to maintain airway. Tuck the nearest hand under.

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