Ottawa – Canada’s Low-Risk Alcohol Drinking Guidelines can help you make informed decisions about drinking. The guidelines recommend setting limits to help you reduce the acute (short-term) and chronic (long-term) health risks of alcohol use.
It is important to keep in mind that:
- the intention of these guidelines is not to encourage people who abstain (for cultural, spiritual, health or other reasons) to start drinking
- these are “low-risk” guidelines, not “no-risk” guidelines. Any amount of alcohol consumption can have risks to your health
The guidelines for consumption limits
Women:
- limit alcohol to no more than:
- 2 standard drinks per day
- 10 standard drinks per week
- 3 standard drinks on special occasions
- avoid drinking alcohol on some days
Men:
- limit alcohol to no more than:
- 3 standard drinks per day
- 15 standard drinks per week
- 4 standard drinks on special occasions
- avoid drinking alcohol on some days
Pregnant women:
- avoid drinking alcohol
Youth, with parental consent:
- limit alcohol to:
- no more than twice weekly
- no more than 1 or 2 standard drinks each time