Should you have another? Islanders unaware of low-risk drinking limits

Should you have another drink? Do you everthink about it?

The P.E.I. government is spending $20,000 to $25,000 to educate people about how much alcohol is too much, after a survey showed four out of five Islanders weren't aware of Canada's low-risk alcohol drinking guidelines.

The Should I Have Another? campaign, already underway, includes ads on television, newspapers, social media, local transit and the internet. The TV ad takes a light-hearted approach with comedian Patrick Ledwell, and points people to the guidelines at ShouldIHaveAnother.ca.

Laura Lee Noonan, the manager of health promotion with the P.E.I. Department of Health and Wellness, said the program came out of the 2015 wellness strategy, which included a goal to reduce unhealthy drinking behaviours among Islanders.

A survey before the campaign was launched showed that only 20 per cent of Islanders were aware of the drinking guidelines. The department will conduct another survey after the campaign has run for a few months and then re-assess in May.

Cancer, stroke

"People should be aware that there are certain limits to alcohol consumption, and when you go beyond those limits on a regular basis you're putting yourself at greater risk of health issues," Noonansaid.

The risk include cancer, heart disease, stroke and high blood pressure.

Here are some of the guidelines:

• Women should drink no more than 10 drinks a week, and no more than two drinks a day most days.
• Men should drink no more than 15 drinks a week, andno more than three drinks a day most days.
• Drinkers in their late teens until the age of 24 should never exceed the daily and weekly limits.
• Everyone should plan non-drinking days every week to avoid developing a habit.

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