Surgeon General Calls for Cancer Warning Labels on Alcohol – Here’s What You Need to Know!

The U.S. Surgeon General, Vivek Murthy, announced on Friday that alcoholic beverages should feature labels warning consumers about the cancer risks associated with alcohol consumption. This move suggests a potential shift toward stronger regulatory measures for the alcohol industry, similar to the approach taken with tobacco.

Murthy highlighted that alcohol use increases the risk of at least seven types of cancer, including those of the breast, colon, and liver. However, most Americans remain unaware of these risks. In response to the announcement, shares of U.S.-listed alcohol companies such as Constellation Brands, Brown-Forman Corp, and Molson Coors dropped by 1 to 2 percent in early trading. European-based liquor companies, including Diageo and Pernod Ricard, saw their stock prices fall by over 3 percent, with beer giants Heineken and Anheuser-Busch InBev also experiencing declines.

Additionally, Murthy urged for a review of current alcohol consumption guidelines to help people consider the cancer risks when deciding how much to drink, alongside existing warnings related to birth defects and impairments when using machinery.

According to a statement accompanying the new report, alcohol consumption is the third leading preventable cause of cancer in the United States, following tobacco use and obesity. It contributes to the development of cancers that account for approximately 100,000 cancer cases and 20,000 cancer-related deaths annually. This number surpasses the 13,500 deaths linked to alcohol-related traffic accidents each year.

Currently, alcoholic beverages in the U.S. carry a health warning label, advising pregnant women not to consume alcohol and cautioning against impaired driving or machinery operation. This label, which has remained unchanged since 1988, does not include information on the cancer risks tied to alcohol consumption. The Surgeon General’s office emphasized that the connection between alcohol and cancer is well-established for several types of cancer, regardless of whether the drink is beer, wine, or spirits.

The report further recommends that healthcare professionals screen for alcohol use and, when necessary, provide referrals for treatment. It also suggests increasing public awareness of alcohol’s health risks.