Professor Otis Webster
20 November 2017
Drinking Culture in Canada
Drinking alcohol is a popular pastime in Canada. It is considered to be a beer drinking nation, because this beverage is consumed much more than wine or sprits. About 51 percent of money spent on alcohol goes on beer. Most people only ever drink socially. This means that they avoid binge drinking and rarely suffer from any negative consequences as a result of their intake. A social drinker has no problem giving up alcohol, and weeks can go by when they do not touch the stuff. For many of these people, consumption of alcohol is limited to special occasions. There are also a significant number of Canadians who drink well above the recommended level. There are also those …show more content…
It is believed that about four percent of Canadians could be labeled as alcoholics. In 2002, it was found that 600,000 Canadians were physically dependent on alcohol. Approximately 2,000 people die each year as a result of alcoholic liver disease. Many of those individuals who abuse alcohol also use illegal drugs on top of this.
Binge Drinking in Canada
In 2011, the Canadian Medical Association Journal warned the public that binge drinking is out of control. It is believed that 9 percent of Canadians regularly binge drink. This is where they consume an excessive amount of alcohol in a short time period (more than five drinks in less than two hours). Binge drinking is the most dangerous pattern of alcohol consumption because:
* It means that their blood alcohol content can reach dangerous levels. When this happens the individual begins to suffer the effects of alcohol poisoning. They could then choke on their own vomit or fall into a coma.
* If people binge drink, they increase their risk of developing alcoholism. This condition can completely destroy the life of the individual as well as their