US surgeon general wants to label alcohol like cigarettes

Michael Scaturro, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Jan 3, 2025

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Wine, beer and spirits should carry a warning label about cancer risks, the U.S. surgeon general said Friday, in a move that could shape a larger debate over government healthy eating recommendations.

“Alcohol is a well-established, preventable cause of cancer responsible for about 100,000 cases of cancer and 20,000 cancer deaths annually in the United States — greater than the 13,500 alcohol-associated traffic crash fatalities per year in the U.S.,” said U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy.

Murthy said most Americans remain unaware of the connection between cancer and alcohol consumption.

Alcohol sold in the U.S. contains labels warning of the risks of drinking while pregnant or driving. The surgeon general proposes adding cancer risks to the text, much as already occurs on packages of cigarettes.

But for this change to take place, Congress would have to pass a new law or amend the Alcoholic Beverage Labeling Act of 1988.

In addition to the labeling recommendation, the surgeon general wants to see public health professionals and community groups emphasize that cutting alcohol consumption can reduce Americans’ risk of cancer.

Drinking alcohol — even in small amounts, just a few times a month — has been shown to increase the risk of developing at least seven types of cancer of the breast, colon, esophagus, liver, mouth, throat and voice box (larynx), the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said in a statement.

For breast cancer specifically, 16.4% of total cases are attributable to alcohol consumption, HHS said.

Every five years, the U.S. government issues its U.S. Dietary Guidelines, which aim to help Americans make healthier eating choices. The process for overhauling the 2025-30 guidelines is taking place now, and will continue when the Trump administration takes office Jan. 20.

Last year, HHS and the Department of Agriculture said the risks of drinking alcoholic beverages required a review process separate from the overhaul of the U.S. Dietary Guidelines.

To that end, the alcoholic risks review was carried out by HHS, led by the surgeon general, and by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine.

The alcohol risk warnings are seen as a key piece of the dietary guidelines overhaul.

In addition to reducing alcohol intake, the recommendations say Americans should reduce red meat consumption and shift to plant-based proteins from beans, peas and lentils. People who eat plant-based diets have the lowest rates of cancer, the Mayo Clinic said.

While nongovernmental organizations like the Center for Science in the Public Interest have praised the proposed guidelines, meat and dairy producers have responded acridly. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association called recommendations urging Americans to reduce red meat consumption “unhinged.”

It’s unclear how the incoming Trump administration will respond to calls to shift Americans’ diets toward plant-based proteins, and to Friday’s warning about the risks of alcohol.

Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to succeed Murthy as surgeon general, has previously said on social media site X that Americans should limit alcohol and not smoke.

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