The U.S. Surgeon General issued a new advisory this week on the link between alcohol and cancer risk.
Dr. Vivek Murthy issued several recommendations around the dangers of alcohol, including updating the existing Surgeon General’s health warning label on beverages containing alcohol to disclose cancer risks.
“Alcohol is a well-established, preventable cause of cancer responsible for about 100,000 cases of cancer and 20,000 cancer deaths annually in the United States – greater than the 13,500 alcohol-associated traffic crash fatalities per year in the U.S. – yet the majority of Americans are unaware of this risk,” said U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy in a January 3 release from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
“This Advisory lays out steps we can all take to increase awareness of alcohol’s cancer risk and minimize harm.”
A report from the American Association for Cancer Research found that alcohol consumption was a significant contributing factor in a trend of rising rates of breast and colorectal cancer among adults under 50. The World Health Organization and the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism claim that just one alcoholic drink a day can raise the risk of breast cancer by upwards of 9%.
Last year, The Dallas Express detailed nine lifestyle changes that medical experts say can materially reduce the risk of early-onset cancers, a trend that has been growing among young adults. Limiting alcohol intake was among the top recommendations to help lower one’s chances of developing cancer.
Murthy not only believes the label on alcoholic beverages should be updated, he thinks it should be “more visible, prominent, and effective in increasing awareness about cancer risks associated with alcohol consumption,” per CBS.
Existing labels warn women who are pregnant to avoid alcohol because of the risk of birth defects. Labels also contain the message that alcohol impairs one’s ability to drive and may result in health problems.
The label has remained unchanged since 1988.