Two glasses per week: new Canada alcohol guidelines prompt fierce debate

Guidelines funded by Health Canada represent drastic shift from previous recommendations issued in 2011

New alcohol guidelines recommending that Canadians limit themselves to just two drinks a week - and ideally cut alcohol altogether - have prompted intense debate over risk versus enjoyment in a country where the vast majority of adults regularly consume alcohol.

The Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA) this week called for a substantial reduction in consumption, warning that seemingly moderate drinking poses a number of serious health risks, including cancer, heart disease and stroke.