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U.S. Surgeon General Calls for Cancer Warning Labels on Alcohol, Citing 100,000 Cases and 20,000 Deaths Annually

Jan 3, 2025, 12:59 PM

The U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy, has issued an advisory highlighting the link between alcohol consumption and increased cancer risk, calling for cancer warning labels to be placed on alcoholic beverages similar to those on cigarette packs. Alcohol is identified as the third leading preventable cause of cancer in the U.S., contributing to about 100,000 cancer cases and 20,000 cancer deaths annually. The advisory recommends updating the warning labels on all alcoholic beverages to include a notice about the heightened risks of at least seven cancers, including breast cancer, colon cancer, and other malignancies linked to alcohol consumption. The advisory notes that 83% of alcohol-related cancer deaths occur among people who drink above the federally recommended limits, while 17% of these deaths occur among those within the limits. The call for new warning labels would require an act of Congress, as current labels only warn about drinking during pregnancy, before driving or operating machinery, and general health risks.