The seniors in British Columbia outnumbered the young people in the province as far as drinking alcohol is concerned. The province has also seen a 20-year decline in alcohol use.  The experts also suggested that there must be a comprehensive strategy under which requires warning on packaging and adjusting the price of alcohol so that it is based on alcohol content rather than volume.

Th report on the alcohol use released Wednesday, highlights that the latest trends show that people in B.C. drink less alcohol than in recent years, yet, as of 2023, they still consume an average of 8.8 standard drinks per week. This is higher than the national average of 8.2 and well above the recommended one to two standard drinks per week to avoid most alcohol-related risks to health.

On the seniors versus youngsters comparison, the report said that in the province, male seniors consume the most alcohol, with an average of 15 standard drinks per week, and they have higher rates of alcohol-attributable deaths and hospitalizations than the rest of the population. Alcohol use has reached a 20-year low in the province, after spiking during the COVID-19 pandemic. Youth are not drinking as much as they have historically and try drinking later, but 38% of youth 12-19 report having tried alcohol.

The Interior, Northern and Island Health regions have the highest levels of drinking per person. People living in those regions are also more likely to die from alcohol-attributable causes than those living elsewhere in the province.

The Office of the Provincial Health Officer has released Living Well, Drinking Less: Reducing Alcohol-related Harms in B.C., which provides latest trends about provincial alcohol consumption and explores ways to support well-being.

“When it comes to drinking alcohol, less is best,” said Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C.’s provincial health officer. “Drinking less alcohol is better for overall health, as has been confirmed by research and alcohol guidance in Canada. While it is important for people to be able to make informed decisions about alcohol, government has a key role to play in addressing factors that shape drinking behaviour through policy shifts.”

Alcohol remains one of the leading causes of preventable death, injury and disability in Canada and globally.

The report highlights First Nations, Métis and Inuit rights with respect to health, alcohol policy, governance and self-determination. These rights and the Province’s truth and reconciliation obligations are important context for the report.

The report considers how B.C. compares to the rest of Canada when it comes to alcohol consumption. It also takes into account the growing awareness of alcohol as a cause of health concerns, such as cardiovascular conditions and cancer.

“We’re seeing a shift toward lower overall alcohol use, which is encouraging from a health perspective,” said Dr. Martin Lavoie, deputy provincial health officer. “But people in B.C. are still drinking more than the national average. That’s why it’s important to keep focusing on population-level measures like helping people understand the health impacts of alcohol, so they can make informed choices.”

The report offers recommendations to government to help make people more aware of the health risks of alcohol and to implement changes at the point of sale, such as requiring warning labels on packaging and adjusting the price of alcohol so that it is based on alcohol content rather than volume. Developing a provincial alcohol strategy that prioritizes reducing health harms from alcohol would help co-ordinate alcohol policy and priorities across ministries and could ultimately lead to improved health outcomes and lower health-care and enforcement costs.

Government can help by establishing policies around alcohol that also educate people in British Columbia and support them in making healthier choices. Drinking less can lead to better health outcomes, regardless of age, gender or socioeconomic status, the report states.