The Surgeon General is pushing for new labels on alcoholic drinks to warn Americans about the link between alcohol and cancer risk.
U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy proposed new labels on alcoholic drinks to warn people about the cancer risk linked to alcohol consumption. His call comes as more research highlights the health dangers of alcohol, though for the label to be added, it would need Congress's approval.
Murthy argues that Americans need to be better informed about alcohol’s connection to cancer, especially since alcohol is responsible for nearly 1 million preventable cancer cases in the U.S. over the last decade—about 20,000 deaths a year.
While alcohol bottles already carry warnings about drinking during pregnancy and the dangers of impaired driving, Murthy’s proposed label would go further by alerting people to the cancer risk, as alcohol increases the risk of at least seven types of cancer, including liver, breast, and throat cancer. The more someone drinks, the higher their risk.
He also took to X (formerly Twitter) to remind people, “Less is better when it comes to cancer risk,” urging everyone to be mindful of how much they drink.
Despite the growing body of evidence, it’s unlikely Congress will move quickly on this, given that the last alcohol warning label was approved nearly 40 years ago and has never been updated. Plus, any new label would face strong opposition from the alcohol industry, which spends millions lobbying lawmakers.
Just a few weeks ago, the federal government also decided against updating dietary guidelines on alcohol. So, while the Surgeon General’s advice is important, it might take a long time before we see any changes on those bottles.
