As we approach the halfway point of Dry January, many Canadians have spent the first two weeks of the new year completely sober. Whether you’re diving into the world of mocktails and going fully dry, or simply cutting back your consumption for a Dry-ish January, you’re not alone if you’re choosing to re-evaluate your drinking habits this month. 

“The whole point of any of those movements is for you to gain a better self awareness of your consumption and your use of alcohol, and give you time to reflect on how it’s affecting you, physically, emotionally, socially,” says Dr. Kara Thompson, an associate professor at St Francis Xavier University, and a nationally recognized voice in alcohol policy research.

Thompson is one of the experts featured in a recent CBC The Nature of Things episode called Proof: The New Science of Alcohol, exploring the science and myths behind alcohol, and how even moderate drinkers are impacted by their beverage of choice. In her research, Thompson has noticed a large shift in alcohol consumption in recent years, with usage among young people declining for the first time in decades. For one group, however, alcohol consumption is on the rise. 

“For women, alcohol is going up. Especially midlife age women, working professionals, moms.” As Thompson explains, the industry is moving away from ads that sexualize women. Instead, the current era of alcohol ads targets women in a new way.

“We are seeing ads that tell women that alcohol is part of self-care, that you should have a bath with a glass of wine to relax…you deserve a break, and your break should include alcohol,” Thompson says. “They’ve created this belief for women that alcohol is somehow beneficial to us, whether socially, emotionally or physically.”

In 2023, the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction issued new guidelines that made headlines around the world. The report made it clear that any amount of alcohol poses a risk to your health— particularly your risk of cancer. As shared in Proof, new science has shown that women are even more vulnerable to alcohol’s effects, with links to breast cancer, brain damage, and heart disease. According to the National Institute for Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, as little as one drink per day can increase a woman’s risk for breast cancer by 5% to 15%.


The fact that alcohol is a carcinogen is not new information. “It’s just been something that the industry has really put a lot of effort into hiding from the public,” Thompson says. Now, the science is clearer than ever, but our messaging needs to catch up. According to Thompson, only about 40% of Canadians are aware of the link between alcohol consumption and cancer risk. “One in two Canadians is going to have cancer and it’s one of those risk factors that we have total control over. I’d like to see that the number of Canadians who know [about the link between alcohol and cancer risk] is 100%.”

But this knowledge alone, as Thompson tells us, is not enough to change behaviour. She believes that changes to alcohol policy, like warning labels and enforcement of advertising regulations, are what can really shift the narrative our culture has constructed around alcohol. 

“I’m a big proponent of pushing for warning labels,” Thompson says. “They are the most direct access to anyone who consumes alcohol, because you will see that label every time you pick up a beverage.”

Warning labels are one step towards consumers being able to make informed decisions for their health. But wellness isn’t the only consideration that factors into movements like Dry January—it’s also the staggering financial impacts. In 2023, Canadian households spent an average of $1,185 per year on alcoholic beverages—more than was spent on fruit or vegetables. 

Thompson was part of the team that developed Know Alcohol, a digital tool that provides personalized information about the health and financial impacts of alcohol consumption. While some of the disease risks were surprising, Thompson noted that the lifetime costs were what really shocked users of the tool.  For example, for a 30-year-old female who consumes four standard drinks per week, the cost for her remaining lifetime will be more than $30,000. “People were surprised by how much money over a lifetime, or a week or a month that they would save if they weren’t consuming alcohol.” 

But when it comes to movements like Dry January, it doesn’t have to be all-or-nothing. “I don’t think abstinence is a realistic goal for most people, nor does it have to be,” Thompson says. Her message to those curious about Dry January? “Give it a try. Cut back on it. See what happens. Pay attention to how you feel. Recruit friends to do it, too.” 

Proof: The New Science of Alcohol is available to stream now on CBC Gem.