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Avoid or limit alcohol

Avoiding or reducing alcohol is a key way to prevent a range of cancers.

For cancer prevention and improving your health, it's best not to drink alcohol. If you do drink alcohol, reduce your long-term health risks by drinking no more than:

  • two standard drinks a day for women and no more than ten standard drinks a week
  • three standard drinks a day for men and no more than 15 standard drinks a week
  • AND at least two alcohol-free days every week.

To improve your wellbeing, try not to drink and smoke together. Doing so raises the risk of developing some cancers many times more than drinking or smoking alone.

The more alcohol we drink, the higher our risk for cancer. For some types of cancer (especially breast cancer), drinking even small amounts can increase the risk.

You can find more information and advice on reducing the risk of drinking alcohol here.