As the US wraps up its Dry January challenges, a new warning has emerged from the former surgeon general: excessive alcohol consumption increases the risk of at least seven types of cancer. But this advisory isn’t the only public health concern; air pollution poses a significant threat to our health as well. As a primary care physician, I applaud the former surgeon general’s decision and hope that soon-to-be-affixed alcohol warning labels translate to fewer deaths and lower healthcare costs.
Meanwhile, fine particle pollution – PM2.5 – exists in our environment, affecting people of all ages. This toxic substance comes from car tailpipes, coal power plants, industry, and wildfires. Unlike alcohol, which we consume voluntarily, air pollution doesn’t give us a choice. Fine particles can remain suspended in the air for days, carried hundreds of miles by wind.
Dr. Vivek Murthy’s advisory states that both excessive drinking and fine particle pollution harm our bodies through similar mechanisms – inflammation, immune modulation, and DNA damage. These pollutants increase cancer risk, heart attacks, strokes, and other systemic conditions like infections and dementia. The former surgeon general attributed 741,000 cancer cases to alcohol worldwide in 2020.
The World Health Organization reports that nearly 99% of the Earth’s population breathes air exceeding safe limits. Children are particularly vulnerable due to increased breathing rates and time spent outdoors. Reducing fine particulate matter requires a multifaceted approach, including stricter emissions standards, renewable energy sources, and pollution-reducing policies.
Clear messaging about the dangers of fine particle air pollution would support such policies and empower affected communities to take action. A new surgeon general’s warning on this issue could be a powerful tool in helping policymakers protect future generations’ health. As a primary care physician, I believe that pollution-reduction policies supporting bike lanes, public transportation, and urban greening initiatives have significant co-benefits for physical exercise and mental well-being.
The views expressed in this article are the writer’s own.
Source: https://www.newsweek.com/air-pollution-just-harmful-alcohol-wheres-surgeon-generals-advisory-opinion-2022185