WASHINGTON: The United States Surgeon General, Vivek Murthy, has called for cancer warning labels on alcoholic beverages, highlighting the significant link between alcohol consumption and various cancers, including breast, colon, and liver cancers.
In an advisory issued on Friday (Jan 3), Murthy urged a reassessment of the guidelines on alcohol consumption limits to ensure consumers are better informed about the associated cancer risks. The proposal follows existing warnings on alcohol packaging about birth defects and impairments when operating machinery.
“Alcohol consumption is the third leading preventable cause of cancer in the US, after tobacco and obesity,” Murthy’s office stated. “It increases the risk of at least seven types of cancer and is responsible for 100,000 cancer cases and 20,000 cancer deaths annually.”
Alcohol-related cancer deaths exceed the 13,500 annual fatalities caused by alcohol-linked traffic crashes, underscoring the need for greater public awareness. The advisory recommends healthcare providers routinely screen for alcohol use and make referrals for treatment where necessary. It also advocates expanding public health campaigns to educate consumers about alcohol’s cancer risks.
Currently, US alcoholic beverages display warnings against use during pregnancy and caution about impaired operation of vehicles or machinery. These labels, which have remained unchanged since their introduction in 1988, do not address cancer risks.
Shares of major alcoholic beverage companies, including Brown-Forman Corp, saw declines of up to 2% in premarket trading following the announcement. Murthy’s office emphasized that the cancer risk applies regardless of the type of alcohol consumed, be it beer, wine, or spirits, and is well-documented for cancers of the oesophagus, mouth, throat, and voice box.
The advisory could prompt significant changes to public health messaging and regulatory policies on alcohol consumption in the US.