The following guidelines concern drinking patterns with a low risk of any adverse consequence of drinking. As a general guideline, persons should not drink more than two standard drinks in any day. This guideline was developed by the Addiction Research Foundation and has been endorsed by The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, the Canadian Medical Association and the Canadian Medical Society on Alcohol and Other Drugs. This limit is based on consumption levels for adult men of average build and in good health. The risk of health problems is minimal if consumption is not above this level.
Lower levels are appropriate for specific groups.
Lower limits are appropriate for some persons due to differences in body weight, body composition and metabolism. Even one drink a day may be associated with an elevated risk of breast cancer in women. There are other circumstances, such as breast feeding, in which drinking should be minimized, even among low risk drinkers. As well, lower limits are appropriate for persons with low body weight and for inexperienced drinkers. Those who currently abstain from alcohol should not begin drinking in order to reduce their risk of health problems.