By Everything Lifestyle Staff

Cancer Risk

Why There May Be a New Warning on Alcohol Labels

Jan 30, 2025 | 10:11 AM

Did you know that alcohol may increase cancer risk? New warning labels may be a reminder.

Ever notice the health warnings on cigarette packs or prescription medicines? Some health experts are advocating for adding similar warnings on alcohol bottles and cans to highlight the role alcohol may play in increasing the risk of cancer and other health conditions.

Alcohol has been linked to health risks for years, but new research is shedding light on how serious these risks can be. Studies now connect alcohol consumption to more health problems than previously understood, including cancer, heart disease and mental health issues. Alcohol has been cited as a leading preventable cause of cancer and growing research shows that even drinking within recommended limits may contribute to several types of cancer.

Recent reports, including one from the Surgeon General, emphasize that these risks have been largely overlooked. Some public health officials worry that many people are unaware of the health risks of consuming alcohol, especially as it relates to alcohol’s effect on cancer risk. People may assume that it’s okay to drink within recommended limits but don’t realize that the risk of some cancers increases even with a small amount of alcohol.

Unlike cigarettes, alcohol bottles don’t have detailed warnings about health risks and advocates of the warning labels believe it’s time for labels to catch up with the science. Alcohol already contains warnings about the dangers of drinking while pregnant or before driving, but the proposed warning labels may include additional information about alcohol’s link to cancer and other diseases. If warnings are added, they’ll aim to give consumers information about potential health risks so they can make more informed choices.

Quality of Life

How to Improve Muscle Strength As You Age

16h ago

Season 2, Episode 11

Listen: Heart attack or just a pain in the neck?

16h ago

Stretch it out

Watch: 10 Quick Exercises to Do at Your Desk

Feb 03, 2025

While moderate drinking has generally been considered safe for most adults, the risk of some types of cancer increases even when drinking within recommended limits. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), moderate drinking is defined as one drink per day for women and up to two for men. One drink is the equivalent of 1 ½ ounces of distilled spirits, 5 ounces of wine or 12 ounces of beer. However, the amount of alcohol per drink may vary based on the percentage of alcohol by volume (ABV) of the beverage.

Warning labels on alcohol won’t stop everyone from drinking, but they can help people better understand how what they’re putting into their bodies might affect their health. Proposed changes to these labels are about giving you the information you deserve but they have not been approved by lawmakers yet so it remains to be seen if they will appear on bottles and cans of alcohol in the future.

—

_{Copyright 2025 © Baldwin Publishing, Inc. Health eCooks® Heart Healthy Recipes® is a registered trademark of Baldwin Publishing, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein without the express approval of Baldwin Publishing, Inc. is strictly prohibited.}

_{Medical Review: Perry Pitkow, MD}