Perth County ― Nearly 1 in 5 Perth County residents age 12 and over is a heavy drinker, according to the Canadian Community Health Survey. Heavy drinking is defined as consuming 5 or more alcoholic drinks on one occasion, once a month or more.
“Drinking too much, too often is a concerning issue,” says Annette Hoyles, Public Health Promoter. “People are often unaware of the consequences of over-drinking in the short and long term.”
Whether it is a night of celebration or drinking games, it’s easy to lose track of how many drinks you’ve had. Continuous drinking can increase the risk of short- and long-term alcohol related-harm. The most common short-term risk of heavy drinking is a ‘hangover’ – headache, fatigue and nausea. However, more serious risks include:
Alcohol poisoning
Violence and injuries (car crashes, falls, fights)
Risky sexual behaviour
Poor or regrettable decisions
Problems with finances, work or school
There are many long-term health effects of heavy drinking, including liver cirrhosis, heart problems, and cancer, to name a few.
Canada’s Low-Risk Alcohol Drinking Guidelines, which help adults who choose to drink to make informed choices about their alcohol consumption, recommend:
Women consume no more than 10 drinks a week and no more than two drinks a day most days; and
Men consume no more than 15 drinks a week and no more than three drinks a day most days.
For special occasions, the Guidelines recommend no more than 3 drinks at any one time to help limit harm from alcohol consumption.
“These guidelines are limits, not goals – less is always more,” adds Hoyles. “And it doesn’t work to save all of your drinks for the weekend.” There is no such thing as ‘risk-free’ drinking, but following the Guidelines can lower your risk.
The Health Unit’s campaign, Rethink Your Drinking, is designed to promote the Canadian Low-Risk Alcohol Drinking Guidelines and help change the way we think about and use alcohol. For more information, visit www.rethinkyourdrinking.ca.