On January 3, 2025, the U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy, issued a crucial warning regarding alcohol and its connection to cancer. He revealed that alcohol consumption raises the risk of developing cancer and urged for an updated health warning label on alcoholic beverages.

“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 US – yet the majority of Americans are unaware of this risk,” Murthy said in a statement.

Alcohol is the third-leading preventable cause of cancer in the United States, following tobacco and obesity. Dr. Murthy’s office pointed out that alcohol consumption has been linked to at least seven types of cancer: breast, colorectal, esophagus, liver, mouth, throat, and voice box cancers. The risk remains the same regardless of the type of alcohol consumed, and it increases as alcohol intake rises.

Recent research has increasingly shown the health risks of alcohol, which challenges the common belief that certain types of alcohol, like red wine, are beneficial for health. For cancers like breast, mouth, and throat cancers, the risk may begin even with one or fewer drinks per day.

The Surgeon General’s advisory also suggests that alcohol consumption guidelines be reassessed to account for the cancer risk. Additionally, he emphasized the need for individuals to understand the link between alcohol and cancer when making choices about drinking. Dr. Murthy also called on Congress to approve updated warning labels on alcoholic drinks to help raise awareness of these health risks.