Key information
- Alcohol is a proven preventable cause of cancer, responsible for 100,000 cancer cases and 20,000 cancer-related deaths in the United States each year.
- America’s Surgeon General recommends adding warnings to alcoholic beverages to raise public awareness of the risks associated with alcohol consumption.
- Despite the majority of alcohol-related deaths, the public is unaware of the link between alcohol and cancer.
Alcohol is a proven and preventable cause of cancer. The US Surgeon General has warned of this risk, calling for new prevention and awareness measures, including adding warnings on alcoholic beverages.
Each year in the United States, alcohol consumption is responsible for approximately 100,000 cases of cancer and 20,000 cancer-related deaths. This figure even exceeds the number of deaths due to road accidents involving alcohol. Despite this reality, the majority of Americans are unaware of this risk according to Surgeon General Vivek Murthy. He underlines the importance of an information campaign to raise public awareness.
The link between alcohol and cancer
The link between alcohol and cancer was demonstrated in the late 1980s by several studies. Today, a direct link is established with at least seven types of cancer: those of the breast, colon-rectum, esophagus, liver, oral cavity, pharynx and larynx. All types of alcohol are involved in this risk, whether beer, wine or spirits.
Health consequences
A significant proportion of breast cancer cases are attributed to alcohol consumption, with 16.4 percent of cases linked to this habit. Warnings on alcohol products already exist in the United States, particularly to warn pregnant women and drivers. Vivek Murthy wants these packaging to also mention carcinogenic risks, as is the case in South Korea and Ireland.
Recommendations of the chief physician
However, this measure would require adoption by the US Congress. As advisor to the president, the chief medical officer is responsible for preventing public health problems. Despite his limited powers, his report recommends a reevaluation of the recommended daily alcohol limit in the United States, currently set at two drinks for men and one for women. A study cited in the report indicates that 17 percent of the 20,000 annual alcohol-related cancer deaths in the United States occur among people who follow these limits.
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