ALCOHOL campaigners have warned that no amount of booze is safe.

Dumbarton Area Council on Alcohol (DACA) _ which serves Clydebank – said new Canadian guidelines recommending no more than two drinks a week should be “applauded” – and replicated in Scotland.

Two drinks is equal to about 3.4 units in the UK. The Scottish recommended limit is four times higher, at 14 units.

DACA said it was “clear” the public don’t understand the risk of alcohol to health and wellbeing.

Mags Mackenzie, chief executive of DACA, said: “I applaud Health Canada’s bold new public health guidelines, and would be very happy to see a similar approach in Scotland.

“In Scotland, one in four of us routinely drink more than the recommended low-risk guidelines of 14 units of alcohol per week.

“But then again, few people actually know what 14 units of alcohol looks like in real terms. Canada’s messaging is much clearer: any alcohol consumption presents a risk to your health.”

She added: “What few people know is that there is simply no safe level of alcohol consumption. And the more we drink, the greater our risk of experiencing alcohol-related health harms.

“It’s our experience that, in Scotland, health literacy about alcohol is poor, with only a small minority of people knowing the Chief Medical Officer’s guidelines around consumption.

“There are also abundant misconceptions about alcohol having a health protective quality if taken in moderation.

“People often happily tell us that they don’t need to worry about alcohol harm because they only drink red wine; they feel self-assured that they are banking some heart-healthy antioxidants every time they pour themselves a glass or three.”

Last week Canada changed its recommended weekly maximum alcohol intake from 15 drinks for men or 10 for women to just two.

Health Canada also warned that no amount of alcohol is safe and updated their “low-risk” guidelines for the first time since 2011.

Depending on the APV of a beer, a single pint can be 2.3 units, as can a 175ml glass of wine.

Deaths linked to conditions caused by alcohol hit a 13-year high in West Dunbartonshire in 2021 – 40 lives lost.

Ms Mackenzie said: “Alcohol is a legal drug for adults, and personal choice and personal accountability are important principles of adulthood.

“But informed choice is impeded when the voice of the alcohol industry is louder and more compelling that our public health messaging.

“Public health organisations need to be abundantly clear about risk – as they have been with cigarettes – in order to give us the tools to make an informed choice.”

If you or anyone you know needs help in relation to alcohol harm, contact DACA on 0141 952 0881.