Surgeon General Calls for Stronger Wording of Cancer Risk on Alcohol Packages

In a new report emphasizing the link between alcohol and cancer, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, MD, MBA, calls for warnings on package labels similar to those required for cigarettes.

The warning label is one of several recommendations to increase public awareness of alcohol’s cancer risk and reduce the associated cancer burden.

“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 the risk,” Murthy said in a statement. “This advisory lays out steps we can all take to increase awareness of alcohol’s cancer risk and minimize harm.”

The 22-page report, “Alcohol and Cancer Risk 2025,” includes a review of the science underlying alcohol’s cancer-causing potential, the seven types of cancer linked to alcohol consumption, and recommendations to improve public awareness of the association and actions that can reduce the risk and minimize harm. According to the statement, fewer than half of Americans are aware of the association between alcohol and cancer, despite the accumulation of a large body of evidence over the past four decades. Alcohol is the third leading preventable cause, trailing only tobacco and obesity.

In addition to the warning label, recommendations include:

• Reassessing consumption guidelines to account for cancer risk, such as evidence that the risk of some cancers begins to increase with one or fewer drinks daily
• Increasing public awareness of the cancer risks associated with alcohol consumption to inform decisions about whether to drink or how much to drink
• Encouraging public health and community leaders to highlight alcohol as a leading modifiable cancer risk factor
• Expanding public education efforts
• Encouraging healthcare providers to discuss the alcohol-cancer association with patients in clinical settings

The advisory “brings necessary awareness” of the cancer risks associated with alcohol consumption, according to a statement from the American Cancer Society (ACS).

“Alcohol consumption is the third leading preventable cause of cancer. It is imperative that people are made aware of the potential impact of alcohol consumption and are met with recommendations on how to reduce their risk,” said William Dahut, MD, ACS chief scientific officer.

In a separate statement, the American Medical Association (AMA) lauded the advisory as “work to make completely clear the link between alcohol consumption and increased cancer risk.”

“For years, the AMA has said that alcohol consumption at any level, not just heavy alcohol use or addictive alcohol use, is a modifiable risk factor for cancer. And yet, despite decades of compelling evidence of this connection, too many in the public remain unaware of alcohol’s risk,” said AMA President Bruce Scott, MD. “Today’s advisory, coupled with a push to update the Surgeon General’s health warning label on alcoholic beverages, will bolster awareness, improve health, and save lives.”