ABLE BC Comment on BC Cancer Agency Campaign: The Proof
Dear ABLE BC Members and Industry Colleagues,
As you know, in January 2023 the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA) released Canada’s Guidance on Alcohol and Health Report, which recommends that no amount of alcohol is safe to consume and that Canadians should have no more than two alcoholic drinks per week. This is a major shift from Canada’s current low-risk drinking guidelines of a maximum of 15 drinks per week for men and 10 drinks per week for women.
This report and the proposed guidelines have been controversial. Groups such as the International Scientific Forum on Alcohol Research have raised serious questions about the CCSA's study, and ABLE BC's ABLE BC’s Executive Director Jeff Guignard has spoken with media about this several times this year:
CTV Vancouver: We are seeing a paradigm shift: New report highlights health concerns linked to alcohol
CTV Vancouver Island: New alcohol guidelines suggest fewer weekly drinks
It is important to remember that these guidelines have not yet been adopted by Health Canada. Despite the CCSA's claims, they do not replace the current low-risk drinking guidelines. We are also concerned about the lack of expert peer-review of the CCSA's data and conclusions.
Despite this, BC’s Ministry of Health will be promoting these guidelines publicly.
The BC Cancer Agency has just launched The Proof, a campaign to bring awareness to British Columbians about cancer risks associated with drinking alcohol.
The CCSA report also recommended placing warning labels on all alcohol products. As your industry representatives to government, ABLE BC has recommended against imposing any new regulations on the production or sale of alcohol. As you know, the alcohol industry—from production to distribution to point of sale—is already highly regulated. Every liquor licensee in BC is required to display Alcohol Sense posters promoting responsible drinking habits, and every person serving liquor in BC—whether in a retail or hospitality setting—is required to be certified in Serving It Right.
ABLE BC is engaging with both our Provincial and Federal Government partners on this issue and we will continue to provide updates as they are available. If you have concerns or perspectives you’d like to share, please contact Jeff Guignard at jeff@ablebc.ca.