Dr. Vivek Murthy, the US Surgeon General, has suggested that all alcoholic drinks, like beer and wine, should have labels warning about their connection to cancer. This is important because more and more studies show that even drinking a little can raise your chances of getting some types of cancer.
Dr. Murthy explained that alcohol is the third biggest avoidable cause of cancer in the United States. It leads to about 20,000 deaths from cancer each year. Shockingly, 17% of these deaths happen to people who drink what’s considered safe: one drink a day for women and two for men. Despite this serious information, less than half of the American public knows that drinking alcohol is linked to cancer.
“We know for sure that alcohol increases cancer risk,” said Murthy. He mentioned that drinking can raise the chances of getting at least seven different kinds of cancer, including breast, throat, mouth, esophagus, voice box, colon, and liver cancer.
Adding cancer warning labels on alcohol products is especially important since more than 70% of adults in the US drink alcohol at least once a week. In 2022, alcohol sales reached around $260 billion.
Many health organizations, like the American Medical Association, support the idea of adding these warning labels. However, some people are unsure about this, saying that the link between alcohol and health is complicated.
This isn’t the first time there’s been a discussion about warning labels on alcohol. Back in 2020, several groups asked the US government to update the warning on alcohol labels. Right now, the labels say that alcohol “may cause health problems” and tell pregnant women to avoid it.
The Distilled Spirits Council and the Beer Institute have responded by emphasizing the significance of drinking responsibly and in moderation. Studies have shown a connection between alcohol and cancer since the 1980s. Alcohol is the second biggest avoidable cause of cancer after tobacco and obesity. Around the world, alcohol causes about 741,300 cancer cases each year, yet regulations about it are still limited in many countries, including the US.
The World Health Organization has classified alcoholic drinks as substances that cause cancer in humans. Out of 47 countries where alcohol has warning labels, only South Korea mentions cancer. Starting in 2026, Ireland will also require alcohol labels to warn about cancer.
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