Currently, 70% of Americans drink alcohol, but only 45% believe it can cause cancer
The Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy, warned Americans on Friday that alcohol increases cancer risk and called for updated warning labels on such beverages.
Dr. Murthy highlighted in his advisory, which cited years of research, that alcohol causes about 100,000 cancer cases and 20,000 deaths annually in the US, surpassing alcohol-related traffic deaths. Despite this, most Americans are unaware of the risk.
Alcohol is linked to at least seven cancers, including breast, liver and throat cancer. Even light drinking can pose risks.
Dr. Murthy called for updating the warning label, which hasn’t changed since 1988, to emphasize cancer risks.
Call for updated warning labels
Currently, 70% of Americans drink alcohol, but only 45% believe it can cause cancer. Research shows no safe limit to alcohol consumption, and women face higher cancer risks than men.
The federal dietary guideline, which suggests one drink for women and two for men, can also negatively affect the human body.
Women have a 19% chance of developing alcohol-related cancer even if they consume one drink in 24 hours, according to the report.
Alcohol is the third leading preventable cause of the disease in the US, following tobacco and obesity. Murthy also recommended reassessing alcohol consumption limits and increasing public education.
Globally, research shows over 740,000 cancer cases in 2020 were linked to alcohol.