Alcohol should come with cancer warning label like cigarettes, says US surgeon general

It seems that too many Americans are in the dark about the cancer risk of alcohol. This week, the US surgeon general highlighted the connection between alcohol and cancer, while also supporting labeling reforms to increase people’s awareness of the problem.

On Friday, the current surgeon general, Vivek Murthy, issued a warning about the link of alcohol to cancer, with a report detailing the evidence for this. Among other things, Murthy called for the adoption of warning labels on alcoholic beverages explaining the danger. Less than half of all Americans even know that alcohol can cause cancer, the surgeon general notes.

Research studies over the years have always shown that alcohol can be a major risk factor for cancer. A 2021 study estimated that alcohol helps cause about 700,000 cases of cancer in the world annually, for example. And it is responsible for a good portion of cancer in the United States.

“Alcohol is a well-established and preventable cause of cancer, responsible for approximately 100,000 cancer cases and 20,000 cancer deaths each year in the United States – greater than the 13,500 alcohol-related traffic accident deaths combined year in the United States — but the majority of Americans are not aware of this risk,” Murthy said in a statement. “This Council sets out the steps we can all take to increase awareness of the cancer risk of alcohol and minimize the harm.”

Alcohol is thought to raise the risk of at least seven types of cancer, according to the surgeon general. These include cancers of the breast, colorectal, esophagus, liver, mouth (oral cavity), throat (pharynx) and voice (larynx). Remarkably, alcohol can contribute to one out of every six cases of breast cancer. While the greatest health risks of alcohol are related to binge drinking or chronically heavy drinking, some research has suggested that even modest consumption (one or less drinks per day) can raise cancer risk. chest, throat and mouth.

Most of the general public is not aware of the connection between alcohol and cancer, however. The data of the nationally representative survey has found that only 45% of Americans over the age of 18 know about the role of alcohol in causing cancer. So, in addition to the warning, Murthy recommends widespread warning labels for alcohol products that clearly detail the link to cancer, similar to the labeling found on tobacco products.

Ultimately, any new warning label will require approval by Congress. President-elect Donald Trump famously don’t drinkso his incoming administration may be more receptive to the idea than many think. But it remains unclear whether Trump or the GOP-led House and Senate will support such a change.

Murthy also called for other actions to increase public awareness about alcohol and its association with cancer. These include re-evaluating the guidelines for alcohol consumption created by government health agencies to account for cancer risk, and pushing public health groups and doctors to emphasize the link more prominently.