US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy has issued a warning about the link between alcohol consumption and cancer risk.
In a new Surgeon General advisory released Friday, Dr. Murthy emphasized the dangers of alcohol consumption and described it as a major, preventable cause of cancer in the United States.
“This notice highlights alcohol consumption as a leading preventable cause of cancer in the United States, contributing to nearly 100,000 cancer cases and about 20,000 cancer deaths each year,” the notice states. “The more alcohol consumed, the greater the risk of cancer.”
The advisory adds that even minimal alcohol consumption can raise the risk of cancer for certain types. “For certain cancers, such as breast, mouth and throat, evidence shows that this risk may start to increase by about one drink or less per day.”
An advisory from the Surgeon General “is a public statement that draws the attention of the American people to an urgent public health problem and provides recommendations on how it should be addressed. Advisories are reserved for significant public health challenges that require the nation's immediate awareness and action.”
Previous advisories have addressed pressing concerns such as youth mental health, health misinformation, addiction and substance abuse, and tobacco.