Surgeon General Murthy Urges Cancer Warnings on Alcohol as Risk Rises Even with Low Consumption

Jan 3, 2025, 02:08 PM

On January 3, 2025, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy issued an advisory warning of a causal link between alcohol consumption and increased cancer risk, even at low levels of intake. Citing alcohol as the third leading preventable cause of cancer in the United States after tobacco and obesity, Murthy urged that alcoholic beverages, including beer and wine, carry warning labels about the associated cancer risks, similar to those found on cigarette packages. The advisory highlights that alcohol consumption contributes to approximately 100,000 cancer cases—about 5% of cancers diagnosed annually—and 20,000 cancer deaths each year in the U.S., with increased risks for specific cancers such as breast and colon cancer starting after one or fewer drinks per day. He emphasized that alcohol is a well-established Group 1 carcinogen, yet many Americans remain unaware of these risks. Following the announcement, shares of major alcoholic beverage companies, including Anheuser-Busch InBev, Constellation Brands, Molson Coors, and European producers like Diageo and Pernod Ricard, declined amid concerns over potential regulatory changes and consumer perceptions.