U.S. Surgeon General Highlights the Risky Connection Between Alcohol Consumption and Cancer

On Friday, January 3, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy issued a new advisory highlighting the link between alcohol consumption and an increased risk of cancer. He also advocated for updated health warning labels on alcoholic beverages.

“Alcohol is a well-established, preventable cause of cancer, accounting for approximately 100,000 cancer cases and 20,000 cancer-related deaths annually in the United States,” Murthy stated. He emphasized that this figure surpasses the 13,500 alcohol-related traffic fatalities reported each year in the U.S., yet most Americans remain unaware of the cancer risk associated with alcohol use.

According to the Surgeon General’s office, alcohol ranks as the third-leading preventable cause of cancer in the United States, following tobacco use and obesity.

The office noted that scientific evidence firmly links alcohol consumption to at least seven types of cancer, including breast, colorectal, esophageal, liver, mouth, throat, and laryngeal (voice box) cancers. The risk applies regardless of the type of alcohol consumed and increases with higher levels of consumption.

Contrary to the perception that certain types of alcohol, such as red wine, may offer health benefits, recent studies have increasingly underscored the potential health risks associated with drinking alcohol.

For cancers such as breast, mouth, and throat cancers, even light drinking—as little as one drink or fewer per day—may elevate risk, the advisory warned. It also pointed out that an individual’s susceptibility to cancer is influenced by factors such as genetics and environmental exposure.

The Surgeon General’s advisory recommends reassessing current guidelines for alcohol consumption to incorporate cancer risk considerations. It also stresses the importance of informing the public about the connection between alcohol and cancer to enable informed decisions about drinking habits.

Implementing updated warning labels on alcoholic beverages to reflect cancer risks would require congressional approval.