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乌鸦传媒檚 Lisa Marie Barron, the NDP乌鸦传媒檚 deputy critic for mental health and addictions, drafted a private member乌鸦传媒檚 motion that was placed on notice last June, calling for a national warning label strategy for alcoholic products due to alcohol being 乌鸦传媒渁 major driver of morbidity and mortality in Canada乌鸦传媒� and a 乌鸦传媒渟ignificant, modifiable contributor to many diseases including cancers.乌鸦传媒�

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 乌鸦传媒渕oderate risk乌鸦传媒� and seven or more drinks per week bring 乌鸦传媒渋ncreasingly high risk.乌鸦传媒�

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.

乌鸦传媒淭here乌鸦传媒檚 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 乌鸦传媒� proven health implications乌鸦传媒ξ谘淮�媒� she said. 乌鸦传媒淭he most frustrating part is that many people are unaware of these potential preventable and modifiable diseases associated with alcohol consumption.乌鸦传媒�

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.

乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檓 hearing from constituents their stories, their experiences with alcohol, their family members乌鸦传媒� experiences with alcohol and how much they appreciate the work being done to bring this forward and ensure that we乌鸦传媒檙e finally taking seriously the potential health concerns of alcohol consumption,乌鸦传媒� she said.

Barron乌鸦传媒檚 motion on warning labels won乌鸦传媒檛 be discussed in the House of Commons unless she raises it for debate the next time she has a chance to table private member乌鸦传媒檚 business, which won乌鸦传媒檛 be until spring at the earliest.

She has read research about different kinds of warning labels and their impacts and said there are 乌鸦传媒渧ery specific乌鸦传媒� 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乌鸦传媒檚 one of the reasons why federal leadership is needed.

乌鸦传媒淭his motion isn乌鸦传媒檛 a judgment on alcohol consumption 乌鸦传媒� People can make the decisions that are best for them with this information,乌鸦传媒� she said. 乌鸦传媒淏ut it乌鸦传媒檚 completely unacceptable that Canadians don乌鸦传媒檛 have access to this information and the ways in which alcohol consumption really impacts their health and the direct links there.乌鸦传媒�

The drinking guidelines report, which noted that about three-quarters of Canadians drink alcohol, stated that 乌鸦传媒渁lcohol is a leading preventable cause of death, disability and social problems, including certain cancers, cardiovascular disease, unintentional injuries and violence.乌鸦传媒�

The CCSA report noted that its main focus was on health conditions resulting in death, and didn乌鸦传媒檛 examine 乌鸦传媒渋ntangible effects of alcohol use, including suffering related to adverse outcomes or social enjoyment from alcohol consumption.乌鸦传媒�

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 乌鸦传媒渃herry picked乌鸦传媒� data, considering thousands of studies but disregarding all but a few.

乌鸦传媒淭hey乌鸦传媒檝e narrowed the focus of their study to the point where they find 16 studies that show harm and lo and behold, there乌鸦传媒檚 harm,乌鸦传媒� he said.

He said the report doesn乌鸦传媒檛 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乌鸦传媒檚 lives in meaningful ways such as celebrations, get-togethers, or unwinding after a rough week.

乌鸦传媒淎ll of these things are important to our 乌鸦传媒� biological, psychological and social health. The things that make us healthy are multi-dimensional,乌鸦传媒� he said. 乌鸦传媒淏ut when we reduce it down to just a dose response and don乌鸦传媒檛 consider all of that other stuff, it does kind of miss the point of alcohol to start with.乌鸦传媒�

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Canada乌鸦传媒檚 Council of Chief Medical Officers of Health issued a statement that noted that the guidelines are 乌鸦传媒渁 first step in raising awareness乌鸦传媒� and will need to be accompanied by supporting programs and policies that will lead to improved health outcomes.

乌鸦传媒淚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,乌鸦传媒� the council noted. 乌鸦传媒淭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.乌鸦传媒�

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