U.S. Surgeon General Advocates Cancer Warning On Alcohol Labels

Surgeon General of the United States, Dr. Vivek Murthy, on Friday issued an an advisory for alcoholic drinks to reflect warnings about cancer risks on their labels, just like tobacco and cigarettes.

Murphy linked alcohol consumption and increased cancer risk, pushing for policy changes to help reduce the number of alcohol-related cancers.

Murthy said there is a “well-established” link between drinking alcohol and at least seven types of cancer, including breast, colorectum, esophagus and liver.

According to his office, one or fewer drinks per day may increase the risk of breast, mouth and throat cancers.

Murthy also called for the guidelines on alcohol consumption limits to be reassessed so that people can weigh the cancer risk when deciding whether, or how much to drink.

U.S. dietary guidelines currently recommend two or fewer drinks per day for men and one drink or less per day for women.

“Alcohol consumption is the third leading preventable cause of cancer in the United States, after tobacco and obesity,” Murthy’s office said in a statement accompanying the new report, adding the type of alcohol consumed does not matter.
His advisory on Friday sent shares in alcohol companies including Diageo, Pernod Ricard, Anheuser-Busch, and Heineken down, in some cases over 3%.

Alcohol producers and industry associations, did not immediately share comments.

It is unclear when or if the Surgeon General’s suggestions will be adopted.

President Joe Biden’s administration is entering its final two weeks and Murthy could be succeeded by Janette Nesheiwat, a director of a New York chain of urgent care clinics and president-elect Donald Trump’s pick for the role.

Trump, whose brother died from alcoholism and who does not drink himself, has long warned about the risks of drinking alcohol.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services has been open about his past struggles with heroin and alcohol, and said that he attends Alcoholics Anonymous meetings.

The decision to update the label will ultimately be made by Congress.