Alcoholic beverages should include cancer warnings on their labels

The U.S. Surgeon General, Vivek Murthy, announced on Friday that alcoholic beverages should include a warning about the cancer risks associated with their consumption. This recommendation could signal a shift toward more stringent tobacco-like regulations for the alcohol industry if adopted.

Murthy emphasized that alcohol consumption increases the risk of at least seven types of cancer, including breast, colon, and liver cancer, but noted that most American consumers are unaware of these dangers.

He also suggested that current alcohol consumption guidelines be reassessed so that individuals can better consider the cancer risks when deciding how much to drink. The current U.S. dietary guidelines recommend no more than two drinks per day for men and one or fewer drinks per day for women.

"Alcohol consumption is the third leading preventable cause of cancer in the U.S., after tobacco and obesity," Murthy's office stated in a report, adding that the type of alcohol consumed is irrelevant in terms of cancer risk.

Following the advisory, shares in major alcohol companies such as Diageo, Pernod Ricard, Anheuser-Busch InBev, and Heineken dropped, with some seeing a decline of over 3%.

The adoption of these recommendations is uncertain, particularly with the Biden administration nearing its final days. Murthy could soon be replaced by Janette Nesheiwat, who was nominated by former President Donald Trump, a critic of alcohol consumption. However, the decision on updating alcohol labels will ultimately lie with Congress.

Murthy's recommendation is reminiscent of the U.S. Surgeon General’s past efforts to address tobacco, starting with a 1964 report that linked smoking to cancer. Since then, tobacco regulations have grown increasingly strict.

Currently, U.S. alcohol labels include warnings about the risks of drinking during pregnancy and the impairment of judgment while operating machinery. These warnings have not changed since 1988, but Murthy’s proposal calls for an update to include cancer risks, rather than introducing new tobacco-style warnings.

While some analysts argue that warning labels alone will not drastically impact alcohol consumption, they believe the long-term effects on the industry could be significant, especially as alcohol sales are already declining in the U.S. following the post-pandemic boom.

Public health organizations, such as the World Health Organization (WHO), have also shifted focus to alcohol, stating there is no safe level of drinking and that even small amounts can be harmful. This stance has fueled debates over moderate drinking's impact on health and its societal role.

In response, industry associations like the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS) have highlighted research suggesting moderate alcohol consumption may offer some health benefits, though they acknowledge the potential risks.

Bruce Scott, president of the American Medical Association, praised the Surgeon General's efforts, stating that updating warning labels could raise awareness, improve health, and ultimately save lives. According to the Surgeon General's advisory, alcohol contributes to 100,000 cancer cases and 20,000 cancer-related deaths annually in the U.S., surpassing the 13,500 deaths caused by alcohol-related traffic accidents.