Cheers to better drinking choices. If you choose to drink alcohol, it’s good to know the facts. Let’s bust some myths & share a few safer drinking tips!
A 5 Pillar Strategy
1. PLAN Plan your drink count and your ride home before your night begins. Don’t let anyone influence how much alcohol you consume and tell a friend where you’re going.
2. POUR Pour and measure your own drinks (or bring them) where possible. Knowing how much you are consuming can help you stick to your plan. Take the time to learn what a “STANDARD DRINK” really is. Not all drinks are equal.
3. COUNT Track the number of drinks you are consuming (yes, shots count). Just because you don’t feel it right away, doesn’t mean the alcohol is not in your body. Only time can sober you up.
4. TIME Limit yourself to one drink per hour (or longer), giving your body the ability to process the alcohol. We know you won’t always be drinking a “STANDARD DRINK” so take your time, go slow and wait 60-90 minutes between.
5. BALANCE Alternate your drinks with water (or a non-alcoholic drink) and eat before and while you drink. Choose foods high in protein and healthy fats – salt will only make you thirsty! You also can’t “soak” it up. Those late-night cravings are mainly due to the fact that you have impaired decision making.
Peer Resources
Education is key when it comes to responsible decision making. DrinkSmart is inspired by our community, our peers and our partners. Check out these extra resources:
- The legal drinking age in Ontario is 19 years of age
- You can work and sell, serve or deliver alcohol as young as 18 years of age
- Ontario has a ZERO Tolerance Policy when it comes to drinking and driving (or operating anything that moves really). If you’re 21 years of age or under or are learning to drive, you must have ZERO alcohol and/or ZERO cannabis
- Canada’s Low-Risk Drinking Guidelines – Open PDF
- Canada’s Lower Risk Cannabis Use Guidelines – Open PDF
- The Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) Drink Calculator can help you learn/understand how fast alcohol moves through your body – Give it a try!
Other Fun Facts:
- What is Impaired Driving?
- Campus Mental Health Network
- Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction
- A guide to understanding Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) and alcohol impairment – National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- Smart Serve Ontario – Ontario’s responsible beverage training course
- arrive alive DRIVE SOBER – Advocacy for initiatives to eradicate impaired driving
- Cannabis and Mental Health – Cannabis education created by youth and made for youth
Need Help?
As much as it’s fun to hear some tips from your friends, we recommend that you reach out to talk to a professional. If you or a friend need help or are in a crisis, please call 9-1-1.
- At Your Campus – Health & Wellness Student Services
- Good2Talk is a FREE post-secondary student help line
Free Resources
Be social and have some fun! Are you a student, wellness staff member, student leader, advocate, RA, event programmer, athletics coach, safe walk volunteer, or part of a student-led harm reduction team?