Surgeon General calls for cancer warnings on alcohol

Author: IVANHOE CONTENT
Published: Updated:

In the new year, there’s a new call to warn Americans about the negative effects of alcohol.

This is coming from U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, who issued an advisory on Friday.

This may come as a buzz kill to many, but the Surgeon General wants a warning label on alcohol to make people aware of its cancer risk.

The Surgeon General’s office said fewer than half of Americans are aware of increased cancer risk from alcohol and that it’s the third leading preventable cause of cancer in this country, and the risk rises with the amount of alcohol consumed.

The advisory states alcohol contributes to about 100,000 new cases and 20,000 deaths each year in the U.S.

Dr. Dale Shepard/oncologist at Cleveland Clinic, said, “The reality is that more people die every year of preventable alcohol-related cancers than drunken driving.”

Many health experts welcome the news and explain the risks. It’s linked to seven cancers, including mouth, breast and liver cancers.

Adding a warning label takes approval from Congress. This is a starting point.

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