New advisory highlights role of drinking in health risks, calls for updated policies
The US Surgeon General, Vivek Murthy, issued an advisory on Friday warning about the connection between alcohol consumption and increased cancer risks.
The advisory, as reported by CNBC, outlined the need for stronger policies and public awareness to address alcohol-related cancers.
Murthy emphasized that alcohol is a “well-established” cause of at least seven types of cancer, including breast, colorectal, esophageal, and liver cancers.
According to his office, even low levels of consumption, such as one or fewer drinks per day, can increase the risk of cancers like breast, mouth, and throat.
“Alcohol is a well-established, preventable cause of cancer responsible for about 100,000 cases of cancer and 20,000 cancer deaths annually in the United States — greater than the 13,500 alcohol-associated traffic crash fatalities per year in the US — yet the majority of Americans are unaware of this risk,” Murthy stated in a press release.
The advisory called for several policy changes, including updated warning labels on alcoholic beverages to highlight the link to cancer.
It also recommended reassessing current guidelines for alcohol consumption and expanding education campaigns to increase public understanding of the risks.
Murthy compared these efforts to strategies used to combat tobacco use, such as mandated warnings on packaging and in retail environments. He urged individuals to consider these risks when deciding whether to drink or how much alcohol to consume.
Alcohol is the third leading preventable cause of cancer in the US, following tobacco and obesity. On average, alcohol-related cancer deaths shorten lives by 15 years.
Between 2019 and 2020, 72 percent of US adults reported consuming at least one drink per week.
However, less than half of all Americans are aware of the connection between alcohol and cancer, according to the advisory.
Worldwide, 741,300 cancer cases were linked to alcohol consumption in 2020.
Murthy noted a shift in attitudes among younger Americans, with more individuals opting for non-alcoholic alternatives.
A Gallup survey released in August found that two-thirds of adults aged 18 to 34 believe alcohol negatively affects health, compared to less than 40 percent of those aged 35 and older.
Shares of major alcohol producers, including Molson-Coors and Anheuser-Busch, initially dropped by more than 1 percent following the release of the advisory.
The US Surgeon General’s push for increased awareness and policy action reflects a broader effort to address preventable health risks associated with alcohol, drawing parallels to past campaigns targeting tobacco use.
