Are Warning Labels Coming to Alcohol?

The U.S. surgeon general has issued a new advisory about the link between alcohol consumption and increased cancer risk and pushed for changes to help reduce the number of alcohol-related cancers.

The connection between alcohol and increased cancer risk isn’t new, and research has highlighted the link between drinking alcohol and at least seven types of cancer – breast, colorectum, esophagus, liver, mouth, throat and larynx. Still, alcohol is the third leading preventable cause of cancer behind tobacco and obesity.

One of the proposed changes is to adjust the recommended limits for alcohol, which currently clocks in at up to 14 drinks per week for men and seven for women. Many health experts would advise much less than that, and mounting research shows that for breast, mouth and throat cancers, increased risk may start around one or fewer drinks per day.

Another suggestion is to add warning labels to alcohol to educate the public about the risk between drinking and cancer. Warning labels have been in place for decades regarding drinking while pregnant and drinking while operating a vehicle or machinery.

A big push in the 1970s to educate the public on the risks of tobacco proved successful. Now, 89% of Americans recognize tobacco as a risk factor for cancer, but only 45% recognize alcohol consumption as a risk.

Talk to your doctor about what amount of alcohol, if any, is OK for you – each person has individual risk factors and possible chronic conditions that need to be taken into consideration.