Why US Surgeon General wants cancer warning labels on alcohol

U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy proposed on Friday that alcohol should be clearly labeled as a leading cause of cancer, urging Americans to be more informed about its health risks.

Murthy's advisory highlights growing research linking alcohol consumption to negative health outcomes, particularly its role in cancer development. He emphasized that alcohol is responsible for nearly one million preventable cancer cases in the U.S. over the past decade, with approximately 20,000 annual deaths attributed to alcohol-related cancers.

While alcoholic beverages already carry warning labels regarding birth defects during pregnancy, Murthy's proposal calls for additional labels addressing the cancer risks linked to alcohol.


Studies show that alcohol consumption increases the risk of at least seven types of cancer, including liver, breast, and throat cancers. Murthy's advisory also stresses that the more alcohol a person consumes, the higher their cancer risk becomes.

On X (formerly Twitter), Murthy urged, "For individuals, be aware that cancer risk increases as you drink more alcohol. As you consider whether or how much to drink, keep in mind that less is better when it comes to cancer risk."