Dr.
Sylvain Charlebois conducts research in the broad area of food
distribution, security and safety. He has written four books and many
peer-reviewed and scientific articles - over 500 during his career. His
research has been featured in media outlets that include The Economist,
New York Times, Boston Globe, Wall Street Journal, Foreign Affairs,
Globe & Mail, National Post and Toronto Star.
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Many Canadians will view the new drinking recommendations with great skepticism
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By Sylvain Charlebois
Looks
like we all need to drink less alcohol. Last fall, the Canadian Centre
on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA), a national organization that
provides information and advice on substance use and addiction, shared
recommendations that we should all drink no more than one or two drinks a
week. We just learned that these are now Canada’s official guidelines.
Since
2011, in Canada, moderate drinking has been defined as up to two
standard drinks per day for women and up to three standard drinks per
day for men, with no more than 10 standard drinks per week for women and
15 standard drinks per week for men. So, a limit of one or two drinks a
week is a complete departure from the public recommendations we had
been given before. Furthermore, the CCSA also recommends adding warning
labels on bottles, stating that alcohol can cause cancer.
It’s
unclear whether Canadians would appreciate such labels, but when
looking at the scientific literature and the links between alcohol
consumption and cancer, the findings in recent years are overwhelming.
The evidence that alcohol causes seven types of cancer is now incredibly
strong. Numerous studies from all over the world can easily be found;
many of them aren’t cited by the CCSA. Some articles claim that current
estimates suggest that alcohol-attributable cancers make up 5.8 per cent
of all cancer deaths globally.
These
studies, coupled with the CCSA’s recommendations, will likely be
received by many Canadians with great skepticism. After all, we are
living longer, and many seniors drink regularly and responsibly without
experiencing any health issues.
Alcohol
has been around for a very, very long time. Historians claim that
fermented beverages existed in ancient Egypt. Some archives also suggest
alcohol was drunk by the Chinese over 9,000 years ago. Intuitively,
it’s hard to understand why anyone would put alcohol in the penalty box,
as we did with cigarettes or other such harmful products in our lives.
According to multiple studies, other substances and factors can cause
cancer. But the risks have now been demonstrated scientifically.
But
the CCSA’s scientific evaluation is far from perfect. For one, a number
of studies still show the benefits of moderate consumption when
considering all the causes of mortality in determining health risks. In
other words, drinking may not be the main cause of death, even for a
regular consumer of alcohol. These studies are mentioned in the report
but barely in passing.
Another
of the CCSA’s most significant oversights is its evaluation of the
social and cultural aspects of drinking. Alcohol is very much part of
many celebrations, leisure events, holidays, vacations, end-of-day
routines, and more. The CCSA dismissed all research which looked at the
social value of alcohol, believing none of it was worthy of scientific
consideration. Perhaps overlooking such an important piece of
behavioural science will only make more Canadians unconvinced. This
research area requires more attention, and many Canadians would likely
concur.
Socializing
alcohol doesn’t just have its bright side, though. Undesirable social
problems are also obvious, including mental and physical ailments,
incidences of abuse, sexual and domestic violence, harassment, and so
forth. Alcohol is often part of our society’s darker side.
The
CCSA’s recommendations point to an opportunity for Canadians to have a
deeper, better understanding of our relationship with alcohol. We need
to be open and honest with ourselves while appreciating the fact that
enjoying our favourite alcoholic beverage responsibly, in moderation,
remains the most balanced policy.
But
there is hope. If we can make chicken meat in the laboratory, we can
certainly make synthetic, non-cancer-causing alcohol. In fact, GABA
Labs, based in the U.K., has already launched a product called Sentia,
which mimics the effects of alcohol, but doesn’t cause a hangover or
long-term health consequences. Many expect the science to be perfected
and commercially available in many outlets within five years. Quite
promising.
Still,
our beverage industry has done wonders for Canadians and will
undoubtedly continue to innovate and offer great products for all to
enjoy.
Food
science can come to the rescue and help many Canadians lead better,
healthier lifestyles. But in the meantime, the CCSA’s report is likely a
difficult message for Canadians to swallow.
Dr.
Sylvain Charlebois is senior director of the agri-food analytics lab
and a professor in food distribution and policy at Dalhousie University.
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