What do the Low-Risk Drinking Guidelines say?
The LRDGs advise healthy people who choose to drink and who are of legal drinking age, to: • Drink no more than 2 standard drinks on any day. • Limit their weekly intake to 14 or fewer standard drinks for men; 9 or fewer standard drinks for women. • Drink slowly to avoid intoxication, wait at least one hour between drinks, take alcohol with food, and have non-alcoholic beverages. The Guidelines also recommend: • Don’t start drinking alcohol, or increasing the amount you drink, for its protective effect against heart disease. There are less risky alternatives such as exercise, better nutrition and quitting smoking. • If you choose to drink, the protective effect of alcohol can be achieved with as little as one drink every other day. • If you are seeking help for a drinking problem, follow the advice of your counsellor or health professional. Finally, the Guidelines note that there are some people who should not use alcohol, or who should drink less than the above daily and weekly limits
