Drinking alcohol is enjoyed by many individuals in BC. Although alcohol may be socially acceptable, new evidence confirms that drinking carries risks to both individuals and communities.
Canada’s Guidance on Alcohol and Health, updated in 2023, is now clear that drinking alcohol can harm your brain, liver, heart, and pancreas. Drinking also raises your risk of cancer, heart disease, mental health conditions, weakened immune system, injury, and developing more serious issues with alcohol. Increased consumption of alcohol is also directly related to increased harms to community, including lost productivity, violent behaviour, and significant costs to the health care system.
You don’t have to have a problem with alcohol to experience health concerns and harms from drinking. The good news is that cutting back, even a little, can make a big difference for your health and wellbeing.
Source: Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction
Benefits of drinking less
Cutting back on alcohol can be great for both your body and mind. You’ll likely have more energy, better sleep, improved mood, more balanced hormones, and a higher sex drive. Drinking less can also help sharpen your focus, improve your skin health, and save you money.
If you're interested in drinking less alcohol, here are some ways that can help:
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