With all the concern about opioids and marijuana are we forgetting the dangers of alcohol?

What about alcohol?

The holiday season is upon us, and our inboxes overfloweth with party invites — time to eat, drink and be merry.

Lots of parties means lots of alcohol ... often more than a cheerful sip of rum and eggnog. It can be a stressful time of year, especially for those with addictions.

Alcohol is the most widely used drug in Canada — the one behind the highest numbers of deaths and social dislocation. Governments may be struggling right now to get a handle on legal cannabis, while fighting the growing death toll from opioids. But are we forgetting about booze?

Eight of every 10 Canadians drink, and we spent $22 billion on alcohol last year. We're a nation of beer lovers, though wine and spirits keep growing in popularity. Alcohol is becoming more widely available, largely because it's a cash cow. Governments rake in billions in profits annually from our spending on alcohol.

Drinking is still seen in pop culture as good, harmless fun — a way to celebrate and relax. 

But all that imbibing comes at a cost. Nearly one in five Canadians are problem drinkers. Alcohol in excess kills. It was responsible for more hospital admissions than heart attacks last year. Studies suggest binge drinking is on the rise in Canada, particularly among young women. Alcohol fuels violence, sexual assault, and traumatic injuries. And costs the economy $14.6 billion a year in lost productivity, health costs and enforcement.

Can we Canadians handle our liquor? Should we be imposing stricter laws on alcohol consumption or better regulate those ads that promise good times come in a bottle? Would more education on the harms of alcohol help?

Our question: with all the concern about opioids and marijuana are we forgetting the dangers of alcohol?