Alcohol drinking limits cut on health grounds

Earlier guidelines had said pregnant women should drink no more than one to two units of alcohol once or twice a week.

The new guidance, from the UK’s chief medical officers, says that no level of regular drinking is without risk to health.

U.K. Independence Party leader Nigel Farage said the advice was “over the top” and called for a mass protest against such “nannying”.

The chief medical officers have reached the conclusion that 14 units should be the limit because above this level, drinking results in a 1 per cent risk of dying from an alcohol-related illness.

“The changes are also down to a weakening of the evidence that there are health benefits to drinking alcohol – so the new version is about minimising harms, rather than considering them in addition to benefits”.

“In keeping with the longstanding dietary science, the Guidelines reaffirm that a standard drink of beer, wine and distilled spirits each contains the same amount of alcohol”, said Dr. Sam Zakhari, distilled spirits council senior vice president of science, and former division director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.

The government also updated its advice for pregnant women, to say no alcohol intake is safe during pregnancy.

“People who have one or two heavy drinking sessions each week increase the risk of death from long term illnesses, accidents and injuries”.

“Most people are aware of the links between smoking and cancer, but far fewer are aware of evidence linking alcohol consumption with an increased risk of future health problems, in particular cancers of the mouth, intestines and breast cancer in women”.

The new guidance says that for women who do drink that amount the risk to their baby is likely to be low, but “nevertheless, we can not rule out the risks altogether”.

Prof Murray, who is a liver specialist and president of the Royal College of Physicians in Ireland, said the Government would do well to simply transpose the new guidelines from the UK.

“It is interesting to note that this is the first time the recommended low-risk level is the same for both men and women”.

“I want pregnant women to be very clear that they should avoid alcohol as a precaution”.

The recommendations, which are out for consultation, provide advice on weekly drinking limits, single episodes of drinking and drinking during pregnancy.

The guidelines aim to give the public “the latest and most up-to-date scientific information so that they can make informed decisions about their own drinking and the level of risk they are prepared to take”, she said. People are also advised to consume food while drinking and to drink water alternately with alcohol.