The US Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy, has called for updated warning labels on alcoholic beverages, urging the inclusion of cancer risks similar to the labels on cigarette packages. This call comes in response to new research linking alcohol consumption to seven different types of cancer, including breast, liver, throat, and colon cancers.
Dr. Murthy emphasized that alcohol is the third most common preventable cause of cancer in the United States, behind tobacco and obesity. He highlighted that alcohol consumption is responsible for approximately 100,000 cancer cases and 20,000 cancer-related deaths annually in the country. Despite these alarming statistics, Dr. Murthy noted that most Americans are unaware of the risks associated with drinking alcohol.
The Surgeon General’s advisory builds on decades of research, showing a direct link between alcohol consumption and increased cancer risks, irrespective of the type of alcohol consumed whether beer, wine, or spirits. The advisory identifies seven cancers most strongly associated with alcohol, including breast cancer in women, and cancers of the mouth, throat, liver, larynx, and colon.
This new recommendation seeks to raise awareness, urging changes in public health policy that would require alcohol labels to carry clear warnings about the cancer risks. The existing warnings on alcohol labels, which have not been updated since 1988, currently only advise against drinking during pregnancy and warn of impaired driving. Updating these warnings would require an act of Congress.
In addition to labeling changes, Dr. Murthy called for a reassessment of the recommended limits for alcohol consumption and greater efforts to educate the public on the connection between alcohol and cancer. The advisory also recommends healthcare providers to screen for alcohol use and provide referrals for treatment when necessary.
Following the Surgeon General’s announcement, the stock prices of US-listed alcohol companies, including Diageo, dropped by up to 4%, signaling market concerns over the potential impact of these warnings on alcohol sales. As the conversation on public health risks continues, the debate over alcohol’s role in cancer prevention is likely to intensify.
