Be alcohol aware.
According to Canada’s low-risk drinking guidelines,
each of these servings is one drink.
Some drinks, such as certain coolers, fortified wines or specialty drinks, have more alcohol.
For example, a cooler may have 7% alcohol content, so it’s not a standard drink. Some drinks, like port can have 20% alcohol content or a liqueur like brandy can have an alcohol content of 25%.
Then there are specialty drinks, like a martini or Long Island Iced Tea which combine a variety of alcohols. A martini for instance may have up to three shots of various types of alcohol, so one martini could equal 3 beers. Long Island Iced Tea has four shots, so one drink equals four beers.
Knowing what a standard drink is helps you lower short- and long-term health risks.
When a person drinks alcoholic beverages, their blood alcohol concentration (BAC) increases.
What is blood alcohol concentration?
Blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is the amount of alcohol in your blood stream. Basically it’s a measurement in milligrams of alcohol per 100 ml of blood. It’s written as milligrams percent, or mg%. In Canada, it is a criminal offence to drive with a BAC of 80 mg% (often referred to as “.08”) or higher.
People with alcohol in their systems are less alert; their inhibitions are lower and their judgment impaired, which causes them to do things they usually wouldn’t do. People with a high BAC may not notice warning signs, like their body telling them they’ve had enough to drink, and they don’t react as quickly to things around them.
Manitoba takes a tough stance on impaired driving and the allowed driver BAC is less than 50 mg% (often referred to as “.05”). While 80 mg% remains the level for a criminal charge, drivers who are found to have a BAC of 50 mg% or higher will receive an immediate licence suspension, a fine, have their vehicle impounded and will have to pay a fee to reinstate their licence.
It doesn't matter if you are drinking at home or out socially, by rethinking your drinking with these limits in mind,
you can reduce your long-term risks.
Set a daily limit.
No more than 2 drinks for women or 3 drinks for men.
Set a weekly limit
Why is there a difference in the low-risk drinking limits between women and men?
It takes women longer to process alcohol than men. This means women will have more alcohol in their bodies than men even if they drink the same amount of alcohol.Here's why:
On average, women weigh less than men, and smaller people reach higher blood-alcohol levels than larger people.
Kilogram for kilogram, women have less water in their bodies than men do – even if a woman and a man of the same weight drink an equal amount of alcohol, the woman’s blood-alcohol concentration will be higher.
Women have less alcohol-metabolizing enzymes and digest alcohol in their stomach differently than men.
When zero's the limit.
Driving a vehicle. Alcohol and driving NEVER mix.
Pregnant or planning to become pregnant.
Breastfeeding an infant.
Making important decisions.
Doing any kind of dangerous physical activity.
Using machinery or tools.
Taking medicine or other drugs, including cannabis, that interact with alcohol.
Living with mental or physical health problems.
Living with alcohol dependence.
Responsible for the safety of others.
When zero's the limit.
What about special occasions?
We all have reasons to celebrate and often times, alcohol is involved when there is a special occasion. You can reduce your risk of harm including injuries from falls, motor vehicle crashes, or abusive or violent behaviour by limiting alcoholic drinks to no more than 3 drinks for women or 4 drinks for men on these occasions. Also, pace yourself while celebrating and have no more than 2 drinks over a 3-hour timeframe.
Always plan to drink in a safe environment with people you know and trust.
What about special occasions?
These are low-risk guidelines, not no-risk guidelines. It’s a fact that risks increase when alcohol is involved. Most Canadians know that drinking alcohol increases the long-term risks of health conditions like cirrhosis, high-blood pressure, stroke, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, and some types of cancer. But did you know that there are short-term risks of drinking? Drinking alcohol increases your risk of injuries from motor vehicle crashes, falls, and abusive or violent behaviour. Drinking also increases your risk of other harms, like alcohol poisoning, losing control, making bad decisions or embarrassing yourself. To reduce your risk, drink with people you know and where you know you’ll be in a safe environment. Stay within the daily limit of no more than 2 drinks for women or 3 drinks for men, and the weekly limit of no more than 10 drinks for women or 15 drinks for men.
What do you mean risks? It's just alcohol, right?
Your risks go up with each drink. Heavy drinking episodes increase the risks of short-term harms like injuries and alcohol poisoning. The weekly limits are calculated to be just that - a weekly limit, not a daily limit.
If I drink at levels higher than those in the guidelines, does that mean I'm an alcoholic?
No. Alcohol dependence is a complex and serious health condition. If you’re worried about your drinking, talk to your doctor or contact the Addictions Foundation of Manitoba’s Helpline at 1-855-662-6605 (toll-free).