At the start of the year, alcohol prevention campaigns are pouring in, particularly with Dry January. If this operation sometimes adopts a humorous tone to raise awareness about addiction, the chief medical officer of the United States Vivek Murthy opted for a factual and serious reminder. “Alcohol is a well-established and preventable cause of cancer,” he said. He calls for the implementation of new prevention and awareness measures, in particular via warnings affixed to drinks.
Because alcohol consumption is “responsible for approximately 100,000 cases of cancer and 20,000 cancer deaths each year in the United States – more than the 13,500 alcohol-related road accident deaths » in this country, points out the chief doctor in a press release accompanied by a report on the subject.
“And yet the majority of Americans are not aware of this risk,” he continues, emphasizing the importance of an information campaign in this direction.
The direct link between alcohol consumption and cancer was first established in the late 1980s and has since been documented by several studies, the report recalls. Links have thus been established with at least seven types of cancer: cancers of the breast, colon-rectum, esophagus, liver, oral cavity, pharynx and larynx, the document continues. All types of alcoholic beverages are affected: beer, wine and spirits.
“16.4% of the total number of cases of breast cancer are attributable to alcohol consumption,” it is specified in particular.
Warnings are already present today on alcoholic products in the United States, particularly warning pregnant women and drivers. Vivek Murthy asks that carcinogenic risks also be mentioned, as in South Korea and Ireland.
However, such a measure would have to be voted on by the American Congress. Appointed by the president, the chief medical officer is responsible for prevention on public health issues, even if his concrete powers are very limited.
In a report, Vivek Murthy also recommends a reassessment of the recommended daily limit in the United States, currently set at two glasses of alcohol for men and one drink for women. According to a study cited in the report, 17% of the 20,000 annual alcohol-related cancer deaths in the United States occur in people who do not exceed these limits.
