Americans who enjoy unwinding with beverages might face concerning developments in the near future. The Biden administration is reportedly considering adopting an approach similar to Canada’s progressive government by significantly reducing the recommended weekly alcohol consumption guidelines.
Presently, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) advises that American men should not exceed two alcoholic drinks per day, while women are encouraged to limit their intake to one drink or less daily. Individuals surpassing 14 drinks weekly (seven for women) are categorized as heavy drinkers, a group encompassing approximately 12% of the American population. Nevertheless, the NIAAA is currently contemplating a revision of its recommendations.
NIAAA Director George Koob, speaking to the Daily Mail on August 24, highlighted his keen interest in Canada’s substantial changes in alcohol consumption guidelines. Back in January, the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA) made a significant reduction in its recommended weekly alcohol limit, decreasing it from 15 standard drinks (roughly equivalent to a 12oz beer can or a 1.5oz measure of spirits) per week to a mere two drinks. This new limit is just one-seventh of the current limit in the United States.
Although Canadians consume slightly less alcohol than their American counterparts, the disparity is not substantial. On average, Canadian drinkers consume about 8.94 liters of pure alcohol annually, while the average American consumes 9.87 liters. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s progressive government aims to further decrease these numbers.
However, a pragmatic issue may arise: individuals with excessive alcohol consumption habits tend to disregard governmental guidelines. They might even remain unmoved by direct measures. As an example, in 2018, Scotland implemented a minimum price of 50p ($0.63) for a standard drink, resulting in the highest alcohol prices across the UK. Disturbingly, recent data released on August 29 indicates that alcohol-related deaths in Scotland have reached the highest point in the last 15 years.
