Surgeon General Seeks Alcohol Cancer Label

The U.S.surgeon general said alcoholic beverages should carry cancer warnings to increase awareness that the drinks are a leading cause of preventable cancers.

- Laura Cooper and Brianna Abbott

An act of Congress would be required to change the existing warning labels on bottles of beer, wine and liquor. Today, federal rules require only a warning against drunken driving and drinking while pregnant, as well as a general warning that alcohol "may cause health problems."

"Alcohol is a well-established, preventable cause of cancer responsible for about 100,000 cases of cancer and 20,000 cancer deaths annually in the United States," Dr. Vivek Murthy said in his advisory issued Friday. "Yet the majority of Americans are unaware of this risk."

Shares of beer and spirits companies such as Anheuser-Busch InBev and Diageo fell in Friday trading. The Beer Institute, which represents big One brewers, said the beer industry encourages adults of legal drinking age "to make choices that best fit their personal circumstances, and if they choose to drink, to consume alcohol beverages in moderation."

Alcohol consumption is the third leading preventable cause of cancer in the U.S., after tobacco and obesity. The link between alcohol consumption and cancer risk has been established for at least seven types of cancer, including breast, colorectum, esophagus, liver, mouth, throat and voice box, Murthy said.