REGINA — More and more Canadians are opting for more non-alcoholic beverages or are stopping drinking alcohol entirely.
Data from the Canadian Cancer Society shows 23 per cent of adults overall do not drink.
“Alcohol consumption among the younger generation is going down, which is a fantastic step in the right direction,” said Ashley Thorpe of the Canadian Cancer Society.
In Regina, District Brewing Co. has seen a spike in non-alcoholic beverage purchases over the past few years.
“We've really seen it take off as something that was just a casual little thing, to seeing it evolve to people buying it every week, every day, swapping it as their full alternatives,” said Hayden McPherson, marketing co-ordinator for District Brewing Co.
McPherson said the uptick in purchases is from people choosing a healthy alternative.
“People are limiting a little bit more on their alcohol consumption, regulating it through a little bit less of a beer a day and more having a few beers once a week, sort of an occasion, but for those who still enjoy it, we've just seen the non-alcoholic space grow as people still want a really good tasting beer.”
District Brewing Co. itself sells multiple different flavours of non-alcoholic beverages and is working on growing in the market.
“We're always making sure we're innovating, having the newest, best products out in the market, giving everybody the taste they love with none of the buzz.”
Less alcohol reduces risk of cancer
Alcohol often poses a risk of cancer for many Canadians, according to the Canadian Cancer Society.
Their information shows four out of 10 cancer cases can be prevented by choosing healthy habits, including cutting down or reducing alcohol use. That’s why, for the last eight years, the Canadian Cancer Society has been running the Alcohol Free January Challenge.
The challenge sees thousands of participants try to raise money for cancer research.
“It's been a really successful program for us,” said Thorpe, who is also the program lead for Alcohol Free January.
Thorpe said over $15 million has been raised since the program's inception.
Along with raising money, Thorpe said the program helps raise awareness of the risk of cancer from drinking alcohol.
“It’s estimated that about 7,000 cancer cases are attributed to alcohol use, which is actually equivalent to 3,200 deaths per year,” said Thorpe.
The Canadian Cancer Society advises that if people choose to drink alcohol, they should not have more than two alcoholic drinks per week.
