Island professor sees Dry January as a springboard to a healthier lifestyle
Published 5:00 pm Thursday, January 8, 2026
As people look for ways to improve their health in the new year, the Dry January movement is gaining renewed attention.
The initiative encourages people who drink alcohol to step away for the month of January as a way to reflect on their relationship with alcohol and explore healthier lifestyle choices.
Dr. Tim Naimi, the director of the University of Victoria’s Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research (CISUR) and a professor at UVic’s School of Public Health and Social Policy, said Dry January is more of an opportunity for those who want a healthier lifestyle to rethink their consumption choices.
“The idea is to do a reset on alcohol consumption and see what it feels like to drink less or not at all,” Naimi said.
He added that January is a meaningful time for this reset, as the holiday season is traditionally one of the heaviest drinking periods of the year.
Taking a break can help people reassess the role alcohol plays in their lives and try alternatives, such as new activities or spending time with friends in settings not centred around drinking.
“For people who want to try Dry January, think of it as an opportunity to try new things as opposed to going through a month of deprivation.”
According to Naimi, alcohol consumption contributes to approximately 17,000 deaths in Canada each year. Alcohol is linked to at least seven types of cancer, as well as cardiovascular disease, liver disease, and injuries.
Consumption of alcohol within the Island Health region (which includes Greater Victoria) is consistently higher than the provincial average. In the most recent 2023 data, 64.6% of residents reported regularly consuming alcohol, compared to the B.C. average of 60.7%.
While most people who attempt to cut back or stop drinking for a month are able to do so, he said difficulty in reducing consumption can be a warning sign.
“For people who are the heaviest drinkers or who find they’re unable to cut back despite wanting to, that’s a situation where professional help may be appropriate,” he said.
Naimi noted that alcohol consumption among younger generations including Gen Z is less than that of previous generations. He said it shows a broader interest in healthier lifestyles and increased awareness that alcohol is not a healthy substance.
Last year, researchers at CISUR launched KnowAlcohol.ca, which is an online tool and calculator. It was created to raise awareness through personalized estimates of the health risks of alcohol use and the benefits of cutting back. Launched based on Canada’s Guidance on Alcohol and Health, the calculator translates alcohol consumption into measures such as cigarette equivalency, minutes of life lost per drink, and the financial and calorie costs of drinking. The results are tailored to a user’s age, sex, and weekly alcohol intake.
According to Naimi, the response to the tool has been positive one year after its launch. “We’ve had about 500,000 visits since it launched, with really positive feedback,” he said.
“People find it motivating to drink less for Dry January, and also more generally. It’s a great resource for anyone who wants to learn more about alcohol or cost savings and calorie saving.”