Will I get cancer from drinking alcohol?
Post Reports
The Washington Post
4.4 • 5.1K Ratings
🗓️ 7 January 2025
⏱️ 21 minutes
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Summary
The country’s top doctor is calling for cancer risk warning labels on alcohol. On “Post Reports,” why, and what that could mean for you.
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Last week, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy said in an advisory that studies suggest alcohol is the third leading preventable cause of cancer, contributing to 100,000 cancer cases and 20,000 related deaths each year.
For that reason, he says health warning labels on bottles of alcohol should be updated to include a cancer risk warning and that recommended limits for alcohol consumption should also be reassessed, given the increased risk of certain cancers.
Today on “Post Reports,” public health reporter Fenit Nirappil breaks down the science behind the surgeon general’s advisory, what it would take to get warning labels amended and what it could all mean for you.
Today’s show was produced by Rennie Svirnovskiy with help from Sabby Robinson. It was edited by Lucy Perkins with help from Monica Campbell and mixed by Sam Bair.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | A lot of people try to establish new habits in the new year. |
| 0:05.5 | Maybe they join a gym, try to get more sleep, start a new hobby. |
| 0:09.4 | Sometimes they try an increasingly popular trend, dry January. |
| 0:16.3 | Every year, this is something I hear about from my friends. |
| 0:20.1 | Some of them try it and say they actually do feel different when they give up alcohol. |
| 0:25.6 | They sleep better. |
| 0:26.6 | They have more energy. |
| 0:27.6 | And then last week, a very notable voice joined the chorus of people talking about the impact of alcohol on our bodies. |
| 0:35.6 | Surgeon General Vivek Murthy last week said that it's time for alcohol to carry warning |
| 0:40.4 | labels about the risk of cancer. |
| 0:43.2 | Bennett-Nirapil covers public health for the post. |
| 0:45.9 | So he released an advisory saying that alcohol drinking is increasing the risk of cancer |
| 0:52.0 | and that this is something that has been known for decades, |
| 0:55.2 | but the message isn't breaking through to the public, |
| 0:57.9 | and that's why it's time for warning labels |
| 0:59.7 | on bottles of wine and beer and liquor. |
| 1:06.8 | From the newsroom of the Washington Post, |
| 1:09.0 | this is Post reports. |
| 1:10.4 | It's Tuesday, January 7th. |
| 1:12.6 | I'm Rachel Siegel, and I'm your guest host. The Surgeon General said studies have shown alcohol |
| 1:18.0 | is the third leading preventable cause of cancer in the U.S. and that it contributes to 100,000 |
| 1:24.0 | cancer cases and 20,000 related deaths every year. |
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