Drinking alcohol is a part of Canadian culture, and it is widely consumed and enjoyed by many across BC. However, a great deal of people are still not aware of the safe drinking limits based on Canada’s Low-Risk Alcohol Drinking Guidelines, and how exceeding the limits can impact their health and family. Alcohol-related harms are on the rise in BC due to increasing levels of alcohol consumption.
There is still a common misconception that these alcohol-related harms are restricted to the small number of individuals who frequently drink in excess or are dependent on alcohol (high-risk drinkers). However, the majority of alcohol-related harm actually occurs amongst the much larger group of people who engage in moderate-risk drinking, occasional binge drinking and drinking in hazardous circumstances (e.g. before driving). The normalization of drinking alcohol can make this a challenging issue to examine and address.
CAI is looking for community-based organizations in municipalities across BC to lead and collaborate with other partners to explore alcohol-related harms caused by moderate-risk drinking in their community, and work together towards building a healthier drinking culture.