Author: Unknown
Published on: 06/01/2025 | 00:00:00
AI Summary:
United States Surgeon General Dr Vivek Murthy proposes cancer warning labels on alcoholic beverages. The current text-only alcohol warning labels address pregnancy risks and impaired driving. One published in the British Journal of Cancer analysed data from 572 studies involving 486,538 cancer cases. Only 45 percent of Americans recognise alcohol (PDF) as a cancer risk, compared with 91 percent for tobacco. There is no “safe” level of alcohol consumption when it comes to cancer risk. The WHO and other public health bodies stress that even small amounts can harm health. Dr Carina Ferreira-Borges, head of alcohol, drugs, and prison health at the WHO’s Europe regional office, says these labels play a broader role beyond individual behaviour. Experts say additional regulatory measures would also be key to reducing consumption. The single most effective step would be to increase the federal excise tax on alcohol; instead Congress decreased it in 2017. A 2022 review in JAMA Network Open found that previous claims about heart benefits of moderate drinking were based on flawed methodologies, particularly failure to account for “sick quitters” — people who stopped drinking due to health problems. Naimi acknowledges that debates over small amounts of alcohol may benefit heart health have complicated public understanding. Despite the surgeon general’s advisory and new research on alcohol’s risks, Congress is unlikely to act quickly on updating warning labels. The last alcohol warning label addressed pregnancy risks and impaired driving was approved nearly 40 years ago. Efforts to add a cancer warning would face strong opposition from the powerful alcoholic beverage industry. Analysts also anticipate pushback. Alcohol use among young Americans is already declining.
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