WHEREAS warning labels on alcoholic beverages may assist in preventing health problems and reduce the risk to the public: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the provincial government require the following warning labels on all alcoholic beverages sold in British Columbia: 1. Women should avoid alcoholic beverages during pregnancy because of the risk of birth defects; 2. The consumption of alcoholic beverages impairs your ability to operate machinery and over consumption may cause health problems. AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the warning labels contain graphic information similar to that shown on cigarette packages.
Ministry of Healthy Living and Sport The Ministry of Healthy Living and Sport is committed to reducing harms from alcohol using evidence-based strategies. The proposal to require mandatory labels on alcohol beverage containers warning consumers about the risks of drinking while pregnant or while operating a motor vehicle has some evidence of effectiveness, especially when such initiatives are undertaken in the context of broader social marketing campaigns. In the Canadian context, this would require cooperation of other provinces and territories, and more importantly, the federal government, within whose jurisdiction such an initiative as mandatory warning labels falls. It is for this reason that Health Canada is identified as the principal body to implement the recommendation for alcohol beverage containers, regulate standardized, easily visible labels that convey the number of standard drinks in each container p. 9 in Reducing Alcohol-Related Harm in Canada: Toward a Culture of Moderation, a report detailing recommendations for a national alcohol strategy. The Province of British Columbia will work with the federal government, other provinces and territories, and other stakeholders to explore the feasibility of implementing the various recommendations for a national alcohol strategy, including warning labels on beverage alcohol containers.