New drinking guidelines in Canada were accompanied by a call for warning labels on alcohol bottles, and a B.C. MP has already created just such a motion.
Nanaimo-Ladysmith含羞草研究社檚 Lisa Marie Barron, the NDP含羞草研究社檚 deputy critic for mental health and addictions, drafted a private member含羞草研究社檚 motion that was placed on notice last June, calling for a national warning label strategy for alcoholic products due to alcohol being 含羞草研究社渁 major driver of morbidity and mortality in Canada含羞草研究社� and a 含羞草研究社渟ignificant, modifiable contributor to many diseases including cancers.含羞草研究社�
The Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction issued new guidance this week that recommends no more than two drinks per week, replacing previous guidelines of no more than two drinks per day. The new guidelines state that three to six drinks per week bring 含羞草研究社渕oderate risk含羞草研究社� and seven or more drinks per week bring 含羞草研究社渋ncreasingly high risk.含羞草研究社�
Barron worked in the addictions field before being elected to Parliament and said that work formed a basis for her work on the file federally.
含羞草研究社淭here含羞草研究社檚 a glamourization of alcohol consumption and I saw the impacts quite frequently first-hand while working in addictions, and the lack of knowledge around the health impacts of alcohol consumption 含羞草研究社� proven health implications含羞草研究社卟菅芯可鐫 she said. 含羞草研究社淭he most frustrating part is that many people are unaware of these potential preventable and modifiable diseases associated with alcohol consumption.含羞草研究社�
The MP held community consultation related to her notice of motion this past fall in Nanaimo and said one woman with whom she spoke said the new information might make her reconsider that second drink.
含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檓 hearing from constituents their stories, their experiences with alcohol, their family members含羞草研究社� experiences with alcohol and how much they appreciate the work being done to bring this forward and ensure that we含羞草研究社檙e finally taking seriously the potential health concerns of alcohol consumption,含羞草研究社� she said.
Barron含羞草研究社檚 motion on warning labels won含羞草研究社檛 be discussed in the House of Commons unless she raises it for debate the next time she has a chance to table private member含羞草研究社檚 business, which won含羞草研究社檛 be until spring at the earliest.
She has read research about different kinds of warning labels and their impacts and said there are 含羞草研究社渧ery specific含羞草研究社� recommendations about size, colour and use of images. She said a pilot project on alcohol warning labels in the Yukon ended early due to industry pressure and said that含羞草研究社檚 one of the reasons why federal leadership is needed.
含羞草研究社淭his motion isn含羞草研究社檛 a judgment on alcohol consumption 含羞草研究社� People can make the decisions that are best for them with this information,含羞草研究社� she said. 含羞草研究社淏ut it含羞草研究社檚 completely unacceptable that Canadians don含羞草研究社檛 have access to this information and the ways in which alcohol consumption really impacts their health and the direct links there.含羞草研究社�
The drinking guidelines report, which noted that about three-quarters of Canadians drink alcohol, stated that 含羞草研究社渁lcohol is a leading preventable cause of death, disability and social problems, including certain cancers, cardiovascular disease, unintentional injuries and violence.含羞草研究社�
The CCSA report noted that its main focus was on health conditions resulting in death, and didn含羞草研究社檛 examine 含羞草研究社渋ntangible effects of alcohol use, including suffering related to adverse outcomes or social enjoyment from alcohol consumption.含羞草研究社�
Dan Malleck, a Brock University health sciences professor and a medical historian specializing in drug and alcohol policy, called the report irresponsible and said its authors 含羞草研究社渃herry picked含羞草研究社� data, considering thousands of studies but disregarding all but a few.
含羞草研究社淭hey含羞草研究社檝e narrowed the focus of their study to the point where they find 16 studies that show harm and lo and behold, there含羞草研究社檚 harm,含羞草研究社� he said.
He said the report doesn含羞草研究社檛 consider any positive benefits to moderate alcohol consumption such as social aspects that can affect mental well-being. Alcohol, he said, is part of people含羞草研究社檚 lives in meaningful ways such as celebrations, get-togethers, or unwinding after a rough week.
含羞草研究社淎ll of these things are important to our 含羞草研究社� biological, psychological and social health. The things that make us healthy are multi-dimensional,含羞草研究社� he said. 含羞草研究社淏ut when we reduce it down to just a dose response and don含羞草研究社檛 consider all of that other stuff, it does kind of miss the point of alcohol to start with.含羞草研究社�
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Canada含羞草研究社檚 Council of Chief Medical Officers of Health issued a statement that noted that the guidelines are 含羞草研究社渁 first step in raising awareness含羞草研究社� and will need to be accompanied by supporting programs and policies that will lead to improved health outcomes.
含羞草研究社淚t is also important to recognize that the risk for alcohol-related harms is strongly influenced by a range of factors in our social, economic, and physical environments,含羞草研究社� the council noted. 含羞草研究社淭hese factors can include the accessibility and affordability of alcohol, exposure to alcohol marketing, social and cultural norms around drinking, coping with loss of cultural identity, racism, stigma and discrimination as well as economic resources.含羞草研究社�
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