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The U.S. surgeon general is calling for an update to warning labels on alcoholic beverages. He wants a warning to be added about the risk of cancer.
In the advisory from the Office of the Surgeon General, alcohol is the third leading preventable cause of cancer in the country after tobacco and obesity. The warning label hasn’t been updated since 1988. Congress can change it.
“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. — yet the majority of Americans are unaware of this risk,” U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy said in a news release.
A link between alcohol use and cancer came to light in the 1980s. Research shows more than 740,000 cancer cases globally in 2020 could be linked to alcohol use. A report from the American Association for Cancer Research found excessive alcohol consumption could lead to breast cancer, colorectal cancer, liver cancer, stomach cancer, certain types of head and neck cancer and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.
Murthy wants a reassessment of the recommended limits for alcohol consumption and boost education efforts about the link between alcohol and cancer. In addition to adding a warning about cancer, Murthy is also pushing for changes to make the warning label “more visible, prominent, and effective in increasing awareness about cancer risks associated with alcohol consumption.”
According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, a standard alcoholic drink has 14 grams of pure alcohol. There are healthier alternatives out there that don’t contain that much alcohol such as a glass of champagne or sparkling white wine. A glass of sparkling white wine has about 100 calories. The typical serving size for wine is 5 ounces. Canned hard seltzer or hard kombucha also contain 100 calories.
Light beer is another least unhealthy alternative such as the brand Guinness, also pilsners and lagers. Spirits such as tequila, rum or vodka when used in the right portions are also good. The standard size for spirits is 1.5 ounces. It’s also under 100 calories and you can keep it there with a low-calorie mixer like club soda or tonic water.
When it comes to mixed drinks, you’ll be safe sticking with a Bloody Mary at 120 calories, a rum and Diet Coke at 100 calories or a Mojito at 143 calories.
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