Morning Checkup | Advisory seeks new alcohol warning label to curb cancer
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy last week issued an advisory highlighting alcohol as the third-leading preventable cause of cancer behind tobacco and obesity.
He called for updates to the surgeon general’s warning label on alcohol, detailing the causal link between alcohol consumption and cancer, but such a warning would require approval from Congress.
WISHTV.com first reported on the advisory on Jan. 3.
How significant is the link between drinking and cancer?
The International Agency for Research on Cancer, which is the specialized cancer agency of the World Health Organization, classifies alcohol as a Group 1 carcinogen alongside tobacco, asbestos and formaldehyde among others. The highest level of classification is issued when “there is enough evidence to conclude that it can cause cancer in humans.”
Each year, alcohol use contributes to nearly 100,000 preventable cancer cases in the U.S., and about 20,000 people die every year from alcohol-related cancer cases, which is more than alcohol-related fatal car crashes that total 13,500 annually.
Globally, in 2020, over 700,000 cases of cancer were related to alcohol use, and almost 200,000 cases were associated with drinking two drinks or less per day Canada, South Korea and Ireland have issued labeling detailing the link between alcohol use and cancer.
Which types of cancer are caused by drinking alcohol?
Consuming alcohol raises the risk of developing at least seven types of cancer, including breast cancer in women: mouth, throat, voice box, food pipe, liver and colorectum.
What is a safe amount of alcoholic drinks per week?
Dietary Guidelines for Americans, issued through the U.S. Department of Agriculture, recommend two or fewer drinks per day for men 21 and older, and one or fewer drinks daily for women 21 and older. However, ongoing research shows that guidelines cannot continue to safely recommend these amounts.
Research show that, for one or fewer drinks, a person may have an increased risk of breast, mouth and throat cancer.
Dietary Guidelines of America, updated every five years, influence policy, funding and programming that shapes how Americans eat and drink.
Updated guidelines should be released later in 2025.
For the interim, know that a standard drink contains 14 grams of alcohol.
- 12 ounces of beer (5% alcohol).
- 5 ounces of wine (12% alcohol).
- 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits (40% alcohol).
Who should not drink alcohol at all?
- Anyone younger than the legal drinking age.
- People who are pregnant should not drink at all.
- People who are recovering from an alcohol use disorder or are unable to control the amount they drink.
- People who have certain medical conditions or are taking certain medications that can interact with alcohol.
What alternative drinks exist for those interested in taking part in Dry January?
There are more and more alternative drinks. Food & Wine magazine recommends 14 nonalcoholic drinks, and a New York Times writer has recommended nonalcoholic drinks on store shelves.
Visit Indy offers “buzz-free drinks” on its website.
Also, be sure to read the labels as some alternatives contain small amounts of alcohol, which would not be advisable for some people. Also, some alternatives contain vitamins, botanicals, caffeine and loads of sugar.
- Article from University Hospitals in Cleveland, Ohio: Zero Proof: Why More People Are Choosing Low or No-Alcohol Drinks
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s national helpline
Mental health resources
- Be Well Indiana
- Indiana Suicide Prevention
- Indiana Department of Child Services’ Children’s Mental Health Initiative
- National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: 988 or 800-273-8255
- More resources