UK government issued new alcohol consumption guidelines further lowering recommended drinking levels as it found that there is no safe level of drinking.
BBC News reported that UK's chief medical officers found out that any amount of alcohol can lead to increase in cancer risk. For health reasons, the new guidelines cut alcohol consumption limit to no more than only 14 units per week for both men and women. That is equivalent to seven glasses of wine or six pints of beer.
Meanwhile, pregnant women are advised not to take any alcohol consumption at all. The guideline also states that people should drink moderately, leaving certain days alcohol-free. It is also not recommended for people to save up their units and consume them in just one session, since heavy drinking leads to accidents and injuries.
The Irish Times wrote that the previous guideline, which was issued in 1995, states that alcohol consumption for men should be 21, while women could only have 14. England Chief Medical Officer Sally Davies said, "Drinking any level of alcohol regularly carries a health risk for anyone, but if men and women limit their intake to no more than 14 units a week it keeps the risk of illness like cancer and liver disease low."
According to The Independent, the Committee on Carcinogenicity (COC) stretches further with evidence revealing that drinking a glass of red wine has no significant medical benefits. COC said that people who don't drink significantly lower their risk for cancer, compared to those who do. Meanwhile, those who quit drinking will take years before their risk for cancer gets to a significantly low level.
This is the first full review on alcohol consumption guidelines since 20 years ago. This is a subtle shift from the past guidelines among men and women in England and Wales, as well as Northern Ireland.
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