Warning: Alcohol's Underreported Cancer Risk

The U.S. Surgeon General has issued an advisory recommending that alcoholic drinks carry cancer risk warnings. Highlighting a direct link between alcohol and several cancers, the advisory emphasizes the need to reassess alcohol consumption guidelines and warns of alcohol's large impact on cancer cases and deaths in the U.S.

The U.S. Surgeon General issued a significant advisory on Friday, recommending that alcoholic beverages include labels warning consumers about the increased risk of cancer.

Vivek Murthy, the Surgeon General, emphasized the necessity of reassessing guidelines for alcohol consumption to help consumers factor in cancer risks when making decisions. Current labels already warn about birth defects and operational impairments.

The report underscores that alcohol is the third leading preventable cause of cancer in the U.S., responsible for 100,000 cancer cases and 20,000 cancer deaths annually, surpassing traffic crash deaths associated with alcohol.