Customers drink beer at Saxton Pub on April 5, 2023 in Austin, Texas.
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The U.S. Surgeon General issued new warnings Friday about the link between alcohol consumption and increased cancer risk and called for policy changes to reduce the number of alcohol-related cancers.
U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy says there is a “well-established” link between alcohol consumption and at least seven types of cancer, including breast cancer, colorectal cancer, esophageal cancer and liver cancer. said. Her office says the increased risk for cancers such as breast, oral cavity and throat cancers can start with drinking less than one drink per day.
As part of the recommendations, the Surgeon General called for policy changes to help reduce alcohol-related cancers. He called for making alcohol labels more prominent and including warnings about increased cancer risk, re-evaluating recommended limits on alcohol intake based on the latest research, and making sure that alcohol consumption is linked to cancer. They called for expanded education to raise public awareness of the increased risks.
The efforts outlined in this recommendation are similar to those already in place to reduce tobacco use, including numerous mandatory warnings on packaging and in stores.
The Surgeon General advised people to consider the link between alcohol consumption and increased risk of cancer when deciding whether and how much to drink.
According to the recommendations, alcohol consumption is the third leading cause of preventable cancer in the United States, after smoking and obesity.
“Alcohol is a well-established preventable cause of cancer, accounting for approximately 100,000 cancer cases and 20,000 cancer deaths annually in the United States, which is the largest cause of alcohol-related traffic accidents in the United States per year. “Despite more than 13,500 deaths, the majority of Americans are still unaware of this risk,” Murthy said in a press release.
Stock prices of alcoholic beverage manufacturers including Molson Coors and anheuser-busch The stock initially fell more than 1% following the recommendation.
The advisory found that 72% of U.S. adults said they drank one or more drinks per week between 2019 and 2020, but fewer adults are aware of the link between alcohol and cancer risk. It was less than half of the total.
According to the Surgeon General, 741,300 cancers worldwide were attributed to alcohol use in 2020.
Alcohol-related cancer deaths reduce life expectancy by an average of 15 years.
Young Americans are already turning away from alcohol, with many turning to non-alcoholic alternatives. According to a Gallup poll released in August, about two-thirds of adults ages 18 to 34 say alcohol consumption has a negative impact on their health, compared to 35 to 54 years old and those 55 and older. It remains below 40%.
