Detroit Evening Report: Surgeon General seeks cancer warning label for alcohol

U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy put out an advisory last week about the link between cancer and alcohol use — which he suggests should be clearly labeled on alcoholic products.

Murthy’s advisory comes as research and evidence mounts about the bad effects that alcohol has on human health, but his proposal for a label would require a rare approval from the U.S. Congress.

Murthy notes alcohol consumption is to blame for nearly one million preventable cancer cases in the U.S. over the last decade. About 20,000 people die every year from those alcohol-related cancer cases, the advisory said.

Bottles of beer, wine and liquor already carry warning labels that say pregnant women should not drink and that alcohol consumption can impair someone’s ability to drive a car. But Murthy’s proposed label would go even further, raising awareness about the risk for cancer, too.

Consuming alcohol raises the risk of developing at least seven types of cancer diseases, including liver, breast and throat cancer, research has found. His advisory also notes that as a person’s alcohol consumption goes up, so does the risk for developing those illnesses.

“For individuals, be aware that cancer risk increases as you drink more alcohol,” Murthy wrote Friday on the social media platform X. “As you consider whether or how much to drink, keep in mind that less is better when it comes to cancer risk.”

Even with the Surgeon General’s advisory and new research that shows the dangers of drinking, it’s unlikely Congress would act swiftly to enact a new Surgeon General’s warning on alcohol products.

It’s been nearly four decades since Congress approved the first government warning label on alcohol, the one that says pregnant women shouldn’t drink and warns about the dangers of driving while drinking. No updates have been made since then.

The surgeon general’s advisory comes as the government is in the process of updating dietary guidelines, including those around alcohol, that will form the cornerstone of federal food programs and policy. The updated guidelines are expected later this year.

The current guidelines recommend women have one drink or fewer per day while men should stick to two or fewer.

Reporting by Amanda Seitz, Associated Press. Associated Press writer Carla K. Johnson contributed.

Other headlines for Monday, Jan. 6, 2025:

• Detroit police have arrested the driver who struck and killed an off-duty officer Sunday morning.
• The Hamtramck Police Department is looking for people to join the Citizens Police Academy. Classes will be held from 6:30-9:30 p.m. on Wednesdays, Jan. 29 through March 19.
• The Neighborhood Vitality Index is a tool to help Detroiters drive change in their neighborhoods. The project  — a collaboration between Community Development Advocates of Detroit, Data Driven Detroit and the JFM Consulting Group — seeks input from Detroit residents to find out more about their health, housing, and transportation needs. The first 4,500 respondents will get a $25 gift card. Participants must be age 18 or older.
• If you’re looking for a way to get rid of your Christmas tree, the city of Detroit is collecting them during the first two weeks of January. Text 313-800-7905 for reminders about trash pickup dates and recycling in the city.
• The Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DEGC) is hosting an education series featuring City Council President Pro Tem James Tate to talk about tax incentives and other city resources. The presentation will be held from 6-8 p.m. Jan. 13 at the James Tate Jr. Community Annex, 21511 W McNichols Rd, Detroit.

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