Health Canada is taking steps to limit the amount of alcohol allowed in premixed beverages.
Those tall colorful cans are pretty enticing to young people and experts are linking them to two deaths in Quebec.
Health Canada says these drinks are a public risk. One of those drinks was blamed in the death of Laval teenager Athena Gervais last March.
These drinks have high alcohol content and they’re filled with sugar.
Laval teenager consumed reportedly consumed 11.9% alcohol malt-liquor drink that’s the equivalent of four servings of alcohol.
If Health Canada’s proposed amendments come into law, the serving would be 1.5; meaning large cans would have no more than 4.5% alcohol.
Gervais’ father says he’s glad to see the federal government taking action but he also wants to see something done about how the drink is advertised.
He said, “It targets kids on social media, websites, that’s where our kids are now.”
Before the amendments come into the law, Health Canada will hold six weeks of consultations.
-Harleen Sandhu
