The Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction has released new guidance on the risks associated with drinking alcohol and suggest that people limit their consumption to two drinks per week to reduce risk.

MUN Medical Student and Pharmacology PhD Dr. Matthew Lamont has researched the long-term affects of teenage binge drinking. He calls the latest guidance a positive step.

He understands the negative reaction to the guidance, but says it’s about risk management. He says the best thing to do is consume fewer drinks per week, but it’s up to an individual to decide what level of risk is acceptable to them.

He says the links between alcohol consumption and cancer are clear, and the higher your consumption, the greater the risk.

Technically, the only safe amount of alcohol consumption is zero, and while there are plenty of people who drink every day and are in good health, the guidance outlines the known health risks like cancer, heart disease, and liver failure.

According to the Canadian Cancer Society, drinking 3.5 drinks a day “doubles or even triples your risk of developing cancer of the mouth, pharynx, larynx and esophagus.

Drinking about 3.5 drinks a day increases your risk of developing colorectal cancer and breast cancer by 1.5 times.