On Friday, Jan. 3, the United States Surgeon General released a new advisory report, citing evidence that links alcohol consumption with an increased risk of cancer. ACS supports these efforts to drive awareness of the correlation between alcohol and cancer diagnosis and death. According to ACS research, consumption of alcohol has a clear association with cancer diagnosis and death, with 6% of all cancers and 4% of all cancer deaths in the United States attributed to alcohol consumption. In 2024 alone, it is predicted that alcohol use will have contributed to 120,000 new cancer diagnoses and more than 24,000 deaths.
"Today’s advisory from the U.S. Surgeon General brings necessary awareness to the risks of alcohol consumption as it relates to cancer incidence,” said Dr. Bill Dahut, chief scientific officer at the American Cancer Society. “Alcohol consumption is the third leading preventable cause of cancer. It is imperative that people are made aware of the potential impact of alcohol consumption and are met with recommendations on how to reduce their risk.”
Dr. Dahut was also quoted in multiple media outlets about the report, including:
- NBC News: Surgeon general's suggestion to put a cancer warning on alcohol is long overdue, doctors say
- The Washington Post: How much alcohol is safe to drink?
- MedPageToday: Surgeon General calls for stronger wording of cancer risk on alcohol packages
More information on ACS guidelines for alcohol use can be found on cancer.org.
