US Surgeon General Warns of Alcohol-Cancer Link in New Advisory

Your “thirsty Thursdays” could be putting you at risk for cancer. Over the last few decades, there have been several things people consume daily that have been linked to cancer. While some experts agree that “moderation consumption” is key to the health risks these habits may cause, a U.S. Surgeon General states that the risk of breast, throat, and mouth cancer increases even with one or fewer drinks a day.

According to Dr. Vivek Murthy, alcohol consumption is the third-leading preventable cause of cancer in the United States, behind tobacco and obesity. It contributes to 100,000 cancer cases and 20,000 related deaths each year, he added. The U.S. Surgeon General has called for new health warning labels on alcohol to include the increased risk of cancer. This has prompted Dr. Murthy to demand that alcohol labels reflect this deadly truth.

In a recent advisory, Dr. Murthy pointed out that despite decades of research linking alcohol to cancer, “only 45% of American adults are aware that consuming alcohol increases their risk of developing cancer.”

Alcohol’s carcinogenic effects have long been recognised by global health organizations. The National Toxicology Program classified alcohol as a carcinogen in 2000, and the World Health Organization’s agency did the same in 1987. However, Murthy stressed the public’s lack of awareness on the matter.