Canada’s
Guidance on Alcohol and Health
Drinking is a personal choice. If you choose to drink, these guidelines can help you decide when, where, why and how.
There is a continuum of risk associated with weekly alcohol use where the risk of harm is:
- 0 drinks per week – Not drinking has benefits, such as better health, and better sleep.
- 2 standard drinks or less per week – You are likely to avoid alcohol-related consequences for yourself or others at this level.
- 3 – 6 standard drinks per week – Your risk of developing several types of cancer, including breast and colon cancer, increases at this level.
- 7 standard drinks or more per week – Your risk of heart disease or stroke increases significantly at this level.
- Each additional standard drink radically increases the risk of alcohol-related consequences.