Skip the alcohol this Christmas

Opinion

Drinking alcohol can cause cancer.

The more you drink, the greater the risk to your health. This may come as a shock to many Manitobans, but the scientific evidence has been accumulating for years now.

As a result, CancerCare Manitoba is launching a provincewide campaign on Dec. 11 to raise awareness of the role alcohol has in developing cancer and to encourage alcohol-free drinking starting this holiday season. Our goal is to help prevent the shock and fear of a cancer diagnosis for Manitobans and their families in the years to come.

The evidence is undeniable. In a World Health Organization (WHO) publication last year, the authors cited a study by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. Its findings are sobering, “Alcohol is a toxic, psychoactive and dependence producing substance and is a Group 1 carcinogen, according to the study.”

Furthermore, the study states alcohol is in the highest risk group for causing cancer, which also includes well-known toxins like tobacco.

In 2023, Canada published its alcohol guidelines. The Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction recommends that people avoid alcohol for maximum health benefits, but it states, if you must drink, have only 1 or 2 standard glasses in total once a week to avoid health consequences. (A standard glass is five ounces of wine, a 12-ounce bottle of beer, or 1.5 ounces of alcohol).

For many, it is surprising that alcohol has a direct link to cancer; however, the data shows that up to 40 per cent of all cancers can be prevented with healthy lifestyle changes, including being alcohol-free.

Drinking wine, liquor, beer, and other spirits can increase the risk of cancers of the liver, breast, mouth, throat, colon, and stomach.

In Manitoba alone, over 100 cancer cases a year can be prevented if Manitobans start avoiding alcohol today. That is a significant number. Imagine more than 100 fewer patients and families enduring a cancer diagnosis annually.

For some, it may seem like a lot to ask.

Eliminating that glass of wine with dinner, a bottle of beer while watching the hockey game, a rum and eggnog to warm up after a winter chill — how can those small indulgences impact our health so significantly?

The fact is, they do. Three to six drinks per week increase your risk of developing several cancers. The safest bet, the healthiest option, is to avoid alcohol altogether, or, if that is not possible, cut back significantly to one or two beverages a week.

There are other health benefits as well when you abstain completely or drink minimally: improved mental health, improved energy, better sleep, reduced risk of high blood pressure and heart disease, and overall better health.

Earlier, this year we talked to Manitobans aged 20 to 39 and learned that many had no idea of the dangerous link between alcohol and cancer.

We also learned that the younger group (20-29) was inclined to binge drink, while the 30 to 39-year-old group said they are social drinkers, but often drink more than they thought. Clearly, we need to provide information about the dangers of alcohol consumption so Manitobans can make an informed decision.

It’s your choice. We hope our education campaign will increase your awareness of the risk alcohol poses for developing cancer so that you can understand the impact of drinking on your health.

Our “Make Your Next One Non-Alcoholic” campaign is designed to give Manitobans the information and evidence-based facts that they need.

You’ll see our message on billboards across the province, on social media, and you’ll hear the ads on radio.

We think it’s an important message. You have many options for a healthier beverage choice. There are many tasty non alcoholic drinks and mocktails available today andmthey are gaining in popularity as people realize the benefits of not drinking.

The encouraging news is that market demand for non-alcoholic beer has tripled over the past five years, according to the industry.

Perhaps this is the time to start changing your alcohol consumption for the better. The less you drink, the better your health.

Join CancerCare Manitoba in this movement to prevent cancer. Happy Holidays.

» Dr. Sri Navaratnam is the CEO of CancerCare Manitoba. This column previously appeared in the Winnipeg Free Press.