Urgent call to label alcohol: the link to cancer is alarming.

At a time when public health is at the center of national debate, the U.S. Surgeon General, Vivek Murthy, has raised the urgent need to inform citizens about the link between alcohol consumption and cancer. His recommendation, which involves labeling alcoholic beverages with warnings about cancer risks, is based on alarming data indicating that alcohol is responsible for nearly one million preventable cancer cases in the last decade in the country. Murthy emphasizes that, despite warning labels on alcohol bottles already advising about risks to pregnant women and driving, not enough is being done to raise awareness about cancer risk. In his communication, the Surgeon General highlights that approximately 20,000 people die each year in the United States due to alcohol-related cancers, underscoring the seriousness of the issue. Murthy's call is not an isolated fact; it is situated in a context where research on the adverse effects of alcohol continues to grow. Studies have shown that alcohol consumption is linked to at least seven different types of cancer, including those affecting the liver, breast, and throat. This data suggests that habitual alcohol consumption not only carries short-term risks, such as accidents or liver damage, but also has long-term consequences that drastically affect individuals' health. Dr. Timothy Naimi, director of the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research, echoed Murthy's concerns, noting that it is surprising that consumers receive more information about the content of a basic food product than about the risks associated with alcoholic beverages. Naimi argues that citizens have the right to know the health risks linked to their consumption choices, a principle that should be a fundamental part of any public health policy. However, Murthy's proposal faces a difficult path. Implementing new warning labels would require a legislative process that could encounter resistance from a powerful sector. The alcohol industry, which invests nearly $30 million annually in lobbying, has a significant interest in maintaining the status quo. This raises questions about the government's ability to prioritize public health over economic interests. Historically, the last time Congress updated alcohol warnings was nearly 40 years ago. Since then, no significant changes have been made, reflecting not only legislative inertia but also a possible lack of interest from lawmakers in addressing a problem that affects millions of citizens. Comparisons to warnings on tobacco products are unavoidable, as Congress moved quickly to warn about the dangers of smoking, yet has shown notable slowness in acting on alcohol consumption. In this context, Murthy's proposal aims to empower consumers by providing them with information that could influence their health decisions. The idea that "less is better" regarding alcohol consumption may be a crucial message for public health. If individuals are better informed about the risks, the hope is that they can make more conscious decisions regarding their alcohol consumption. The discussion about public health and alcohol is not only relevant at an individual level; it also raises questions about the government's role in protecting its citizens. The ability of authorities to implement policies that prioritize health over commercial interests is fundamental in this debate. As evidence about the health effects of alcohol continues to accumulate, pressure on Congress to take meaningful action on this issue may increase. Meanwhile, the voices of leaders like Vivek Murthy become essential, not only to raise awareness but also to generate real change in how alcohol consumption is addressed in the United States. The reality is that the cancer risk associated with alcohol is a topic that cannot be ignored, and public health should be at the center of any discussion about it.