FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, December 22, 2016
Perth County ̶ ‘Tis the season for holiday parties, family gatherings and spending time with friends. It’s also the season when people often choose to enjoy a festive drink. The key to keeping it jolly – without the folly – is to know just how much alcohol you are drinking or serving so that everyone can have a great time, at the celebration, once they leave, and the morning after!
The Canadian Low Risk Alcohol Drinking Guidelines recommend the following limits for adults who choose to drink alcohol:
- For women, no more than 10 standard drinks a week, with no more than 2 drinks a day most days
- For men, no more than 15 standard drinks a week, with no more than 3 drinks a day most days
- If celebrating a special occasion, drink no more than 3 drinks (for women) or 4 drinks (for men) on any one occasion to reduce your risk of injury and harm.
“Many people count the number of drinks they’ve consumed by keeping track of the number of glasses or cans they have drank,” says Annette Hoyles, Public Health Promoter. “However just because it fits in one glass or container doesn’t mean that it’s just one drink. It’s important to know how many ‘standard drinks’ you have consumed because what seems like 2 or 3 drinks, may actually be 4, 5 or 6.”
A ‘standard drink’ contains 13.6 grams of pure alcohol, which is equal to:
- 341 ml (12 oz.) of 5% beer
- 142 ml (5 oz.) of 12% wine, or
- 43 ml (1.5 oz.) of 40% spirits.
However, a beverage can contain more alcohol depending on its size and alcohol percentage. For example:
- A ‘tall boy’ can of beer contains 2 ‘standard drinks’
- A martini contains 3 ‘standard drinks’
- A glass of champagne contains almost 1.5 ‘standard drinks’.
“When people learn about the Guidelines, many think that the limits are high. But once they realize the true size of a standard drink, they often realize that they have been drinking more than they thought,” notes Hoyles.
So, what can you do if you are hosting this holiday season? “One of the smartest things that a host can do is not refill a glass until it is empty. This will help guests to more accurately determine how much they are drinking, which is hard to do if someone is constantly topping up their glass.” Here are a few more helpful tips:
- Always provide non-alcoholic beverages and water. Drinking alcohol should never be seen as an obligation, and providing a variety of beverages shows respect for your guests.
- Always serve food, even with cocktails. Never let people drink on an empty stomach.
- Don’t drink too much yourself. Better to keep a clear head and stay in control.
- Make sure guests find a safe ride home or give them the option to stay overnight.
Visit www.rethinkyourdrinking.ca to learn more about standard drinks, time between drinks, the link between alcohol and chronic disease, how alcohol affects men and women differently, and other helpful resources.
For More Information
- Call Health Line at 519-271-7600 ext 267 or toll-free at 1-877-271-7348 ext 267
- Visit pdhu.on.ca
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