Australia's National Health and Medical Research Council is expected to lower the threshold for maximum daily alcohol consumption, The Australian reported Oct. 13.

The agency's new draft guidelines on alcohol consumption say that drinkers should down no more than two servings of wine or medium-strength beer daily, about two-thirds lower than the previous recommendations.

The guidelines also recommend that those under age 17, pregnant women, and women who are breast-feeding avoid alcohol completely.

The new document, currently open for public review and comment, contends that higher levels of daily drinking raise the risk of injuries, accidents, and illness.