America's top doctor has called for risk warnings on alcoholic drinks similar to those on cigarette labels, after new research linked the drinks to seven types of cancer.
U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy's advisory says “the vast majority of Americans are unaware of this risk,” which leads to about 100,000 cancer cases and 20,000 deaths annually in the United States.
An act of Congress would be needed to change the existing warning labels, which have not been updated since 1988.
Mr. Murthy also called for a reassessment of the recommended limits for alcohol consumption and increased educational efforts regarding alcoholic beverages and cancer.
The Surgeon General, who is the federal government's chief public health spokesman, said alcohol was the third most common preventable cause of cancer after tobacco and obesity.
“The direct association between alcohol consumption and cancer risk is well established for at least seven types of cancer … regardless of the type of alcohol (eg beer, wine and spirits) consumed,” Mr Murthy said in a statement.
This includes an increased risk of cancer of the throat, liver, throat, esophagus, mouth, larynx, and colon.
The new report recommends that health care providers encourage alcohol screening and referral to treatment if needed, and efforts to increase general awareness should be expanded.
Warning labels are currently required to state that pregnant women should not drink alcohol due to risks of birth defects. It should also be stated that “the consumption of alcoholic beverages impairs your ability to drive a car or 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.