Alcohol consumption has been linked to an increased risk of cancer, with public health experts urging British drinkers to be aware of this warning. Currently, only a quarter of countries require any sort of health warnings on alcohol products, but there are growing calls for more aggressive messaging.
In 2016, South Korea mandated warning labels for alcohol, including one specifying links to liver cancer. In 2023, Ireland signed a law that made it the first country to mandate warning labels specifying a direct link between alcohol and fatal cancers.
The US has also been considering a similar move, with Vivek Murthy, the US surgeon general under Joe Biden, calling for alcohol warnings in a report published in January. However, some have questioned whether this message can be effectively communicated without being overly paternalistic.
Critics argue that the “No amount of alcohol is safe” messaging from the World Health Organization may be too absolute and ignores the nuances of moderate drinking. Instead, experts recommend providing more detail on the degree to which low-level alcohol use increases cancer risk.
The British government has been urged to take action to increase awareness about the risks of alcohol consumption. With no “safe” level of drinking, some argue that the public should be given more information on how to reduce their risk.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/jun/24/i-wish-i-had-known-more-about-alcohol-when-i-started-drinking