EOHU launching Alcohol Know It All Challenge

Cornwall Ontario — The Eastern Ontario Health Unit (EOHU) is launching the Alcohol, Know It All? challenge to help residents of the five Eastern Counties make informed decisions about their alcohol consumption.

Participants who take the challenge at www.eohu.ca and answer all 10 questions testing their alcohol knowledge will be eligible to win a Green Food Box every month for an entire year and a mocktail recipe book. The Alcohol, Know It All? challenge runs from November 1 to 30.

The health unit has also created Smart Pour, an application that is accessible on all mobile devices and computers. Based on Canada’s Low-Risk Alcohol Drinking Guidelines, the application shows users what a standard drink is and how many drinks they can have within a day and a week.

According to the guidelines, a drink is equivalent to:

• 341 mL (12 oz.) glass or bottle of 5% alcohol content (beer, cider, or cooler)
• 142 mL (5 oz.) glass of wine with 12% alcohol content
• 43 mL (1.5 oz.) serving of 40% distilled alcohol content (a shooter of rye, gin, rum, etc.)

The guidelines set limits that help individuals reduce their long-term health risks by moderating their alcohol consumption. The guidelines state that:

• women should drink no more than 2 drinks in a day, and 10 drinks in a week
• men should drink no more than 3 drinks in a day, and 15 drinks in a week
• on special occasions, women should drink no more than 3 drinks in a day, and men should drink no more than 4
• non-drinking days should be planned every week to avoid developing a habit

The EOHU would like to remind the public that these guidelines are not meant to encourage people to start drinking alcohol or to increase their consumption. And remember, when driving a vehicle or operating any kind of machinery or tools, zero alcohol is the limit!

For more information about the Alcohol, Know It All? challenge and the Smart Pour application, visit www.eohu.ca. You can also call the EOHU at 613-933-1375 or 1 800 267-7120 and ask for Health Line.