ACT NOW: URGE THE TTB & CONGRESS TO MANDATE CANCER WARNING LABELS ON ALL ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES

SAN RAFAEL, Calif., Jan. 4, 2025 — Alcohol Justice applauds U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy for releasing the

The January 3, 2025 report details alcohol’s role in causing various cancers, a link increasingly evident. The Surgeon General’s report joins researchers and advocates in highlighting alcohol as a leading behavioral cancer risk factor and urges Congress to update outdated cancer warning labels. It underscores the inadequacy of current federal policy, lagging behind medical knowledge and leaving consumers uninformed.

Alcohol consumption increases the risk of various cancers, including liver, colon, breast, throat, and esophageal cancers. The report estimates nearly 1 million U.S. cancer cases annually are alcohol-related—including 1 in 6 cases among those drinking within federal guidelines. Women are disproportionately affected; nearly 60% of alcohol-related cancer deaths in women are from breast cancer. The report confirms the international consensus: there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.

“Claims of alcohol’s health benefits largely stem from flawed, industry-influenced research,” said Rob Lipton, PhD, Development Director at Alcohol Justice. “Evidence of such benefits is lacking, while alcohol-related harms are consistently documented.”

The report highlights the need for updated alcohol warning labels. The current label, unchanged for 35 years, fails to reflect recent scientific findings, despite the law mandating updates.

The 2025 report provides a basis for a long-overdue label revision to clearly communicate the cancer risk. The existing label merely states that alcohol “may cause health problems,” insufficient considering established scientific understanding.

Further label improvements are needed:

The current label lacks clarity, visual appeal, and impactful messaging, leading to “warning fatigue.”

The incoming Congress should prioritize public health by improving cancer risk information, enhancing consumer awareness, and recognizing that industry messaging often conflicts with public interest.

California’s Prop 65

California‘s warning system, while existing, is inadequate. While point-of-sale warnings may increase awareness among California residents compared to the national average, awareness remains low. The signs are often ineffective, poorly maintained, and lack on-package requirements; online sales further complicate enforcement.

• Alcohol is a leading behavioral cancer risk factor, second only to tobacco and obesity.
• Risk increases with any alcohol consumption.
• Women face a significantly higher risk; around 60% of alcohol-related cancer deaths in women are breast cancer-related.
• Only 45% of U.S. residents understand the alcohol-cancer link.
• Current U.S. warning labels are outdated.
• Effective warnings require congressional action—a chance for the new Congress to act.

Tell the U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) and your members of Congress to improve public awareness of alcohol’s risks by mandating cancer warning labels on all alcohol containers, packaging, advertising, and marketing materials.

 

SOURCE Alcohol Justice

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