Neither did I.
Why did it take being 43 and sober for over five weeks to learn this? Simple answer- our government is keeping that vital information from it's citizens.
I believe this falls under the term '[Un]Informed Consent'. If we are being marketed to/ sold a product that is PROVEN to be carcinogenic, should this product NOT include warning labels stating this? We know that tobacco and asbestos cause cancer- well guess what?? Alcohol is right up there with them (Top 3) as a 'LEVEL ONE Carcinogen'.
CBC News: The National recently posted on "Alcohol Can Cause Cancer, So Why Don't Most Canadians Know That?"
Why do we have warning labels on cigarettes, food, indoor parking and FISHING RODS- but not on a leading cause of Cancer?
We are told that alcohol is "good for you in moderation". This brochure posted by the Canada's Centre on Substance Abuse and Addictions literally tells us that "Low risk drinking supports a healthy lifestyle".
But what is 'low risk drinking"?? Apparently, even one drink increases your risk of Cancer, and every drink after that increases it more. In 2020 alone, there were 7000 NEW CASES of Cancer in Canada that were linked to alcohol.
If I had known that drinking alcohol caused cancer, would I have quit sooner? Drank much less? Never abused it myself? That's impossible to know, I suppose.
What I DO KNOW, is that I sure as hell would never have encouraged my mom friends to "have another" or to "be sure to pour yourself an extra large glass of wine" at the end of a long day with the kids.
When you have to ask WHY alcohol bottles have no warning labels- it's clear that it comes down to money. Alcohol brings in $1.5 Trillion per year and these groups lobby our government to keep their dirty little secret.
In 2017 Warning Labels were added to Alcohol in the Yukon. It was a pilot project and has been cited for research around the world. Alcohol sales dropped 7% in the short time that the labels were used and people were furious to learn that their drink of choice was slowly killing them.
The fact is that alcohol is addictive. The more you drink, the more your tolerance goes up. Right now, you likely drink more than you did 10 or 20 years ago. Few people drink less than they did. Would you drink at all if you knew that every glass increases your chance or Breast Cancer, or Colorectal Cancer?
Beer Canada/ Spirits Canada/ Wine Growers Canada ALL have the same response when asked about the risk of Cancer- the put the blame solely on the consumer and simply recommend to "drink responsibly".
Responsibly.
How can we decide what's responsible when we haven't been informed of the true risk?
I drank for 28 years. I have been inside an LCBO/ liquor store HUNDREDS, if not thousands of times. HOW was this fact hidden? No signs. Leaflets. Labels. No buttons on the employee's shirts warning that drinking is JUST as harmful to your body as smoking.
Obviously, I am not telling anyone to give up alcohol or to get sober. This has worked for me- and the more I learn- the more I know I'll never taste it again.
I am just wanting to help INFORM people of the risks. You are, of course, free to make your own decision from there.
The Canadian government has failed it's citizens. It has a moral obligation to protect US (the people) NOT the companies making trillions on producing and selling poison.
They simply need to do better. Again, 7000 Cancer cases in 2020 were linked to alcohol use.
How many in 2021?
And how many will there be in this coming year?
Thank you for reading, please share with others.
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