The U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy, has called for alcohol beverages to include prominent warning labels about their link to cancer. Alcohol consumption is the third-leading preventable cause of cancer in the U.S., following tobacco use and obesity, yet many Americans remain unaware of this connection.
Alcohol has been conclusively linked to an increased risk for at least seven types of cancer, including cancers of the mouth, throat, esophagus, liver, breast, and colon.
“Given the conclusive evidence on the cancer risk from alcohol consumption and the Office of the Surgeon General’s responsibility to inform the American public, I recommend an update to the warning label for alcohol-containing beverages to include a cancer risk warning,” Dr. Murthy stated in an advisory issued Friday.
The proposal highlights the importance of public awareness in reducing alcohol-related cancer risks and mirrors efforts previously made for tobacco products.
