The surgeon general, who is the federal government’s lead health spokesman, said alcohol is the third leading preventable cause of cancer after tobacco and obesity.
“A direct link between alcohol consumption and cancer risk is well established for at least seven types of cancer … regardless of the type of alcohol (such as beer, wine and spirits) consumed,” Mr Murthy said in statement
This includes an increased risk of cancer of the breast (in women), throat, liver, esophagus, mouth, larynx, and colon.
The new report recommends that health care providers encourage alcohol screening and referral to treatment as needed, and that efforts to increase general awareness should be expanded.
Warning labels are now required to state that pregnant women should not consume alcohol due to the risk of birth defects. It should also state that “drinking alcohol impairs your ability to drive and operate machinery and may cause health problems.”
Share prices of US-listed spirits companies, including Diageo, the world’s largest spirits maker, fell as much as 4% after the announcement.
