In order to raise awareness that alcoholic beverages are a significant contributor to preventable cancers, the U.S. surgeon general has now reportedly recommended that they be labeled with cancer warnings.
In order to modify the current warning labels on bottles of beer, wine, and spirits, an act of Congress would be necessary. In the present day, federal regulations necessitate only a generic warning that alcohol “may cause health problems” and a prohibition against drunken driving and drinking while pregnant.
In Friday trading, shares of major beer and spirits companies, including Anheuser-Busch InBev and Diageo, experienced a decline.
In the United States, alcohol consumption is the third most prevalent preventable cause of cancer, following obesity and tobacco use.
According to Murthy, the association between alcohol consumption and the risk of developing cancer has been established for at least seven forms of cancer, including breast, colorectum, esophagus, liver, mouth, throat, and voice box.
The Distilled Spirits Council, a spirits industry group, cited recent research from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine that determined that men who consumed two drinks per day and women who consumed one drink per day had lower all-cause mortality rates than individuals who never drank alcohol.
Additionally, the report identified a correlation between breast cancer risk and alcohol consumption.
The surgeon general’s recommendation, which was issued in the final days of the Biden administration, is the result of a protracted debate within the health and scientific community regarding the permissible consumption of wine, beer, and spirits by adults.
Federal dietary guidelines have recommended that men consume two or fewer beverages per day, while women are permitted to consume one.
This recommendation has been in effect for nearly three decades. This year, the Agriculture and Health and Human Services departments may revise the recommendations that are included in the federal dietary guidelines.
According to the surgeon general’s report, the absolute probability of developing an alcohol-related cancer for women who consume less than one drink per week is approximately 17%.
For women who consume two beverages per day, this risk rises to approximately 22%. The risk for men rises from 10% to approximately 13%.
According to the World Health Organization, health warning labels are present on intoxicating beverages in 47 countries.
South Korea has cancer-specific warnings, and Ireland is scheduled to implement cancer warnings on alcohol products in 2026.
The consumption of alcohol among Americans has decreased in recent years due to health concerns, the use of GLP-1 medications such as Ozempic, and evolving consumer preferences. Cannabis has been adopted by younger generations, and nonalcoholic beers and spirits have also gained popularity in recent years.
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