Beware Tipplers! Moderate or Immoderate, Alcohol Causes cancers

Pressure is building up the world over to change warning labels on bottles of alcoholic beverages, from just `Alcohol Consumption is Injurious to Health’ to `Alcohol Causes Cancers’. Over the years, the perception that moderate consumption of alcohol prevents heart attacks and strokes got currency after it was recommended in the dietary advice in America following findings in various researches on its benefits.

India followed the suit, and drinkers got a ‘scientific’ excuse to drink. Doctors also consented to it. Tipplers got doubly assured of the benefits of its consumption if taken in moderation when the medical fraternity stamped the seal on it. Drinkers out-argued their spouses when questioned on their habit, citing its doctor’s opinion. Media further strengthened this perception.

Another perception that taking drinks at parties occasionally causes no hams further boosted the perception that if you do not cross the limits, liquor consumption is not a matter to scratch your heads over. Liquor trade thrived on this. On last December 31, Delhi logged a record sale. On festivals, people have to go through long queues to get a bottle of their choice.

Some time back, media reported quoting some doctors that recent researches have found liquor carcinogenic. But a section of doctors said that it is still to be established conclusively.

But latest studies have shown that alcohol causes several types of cancers, even if consumed in moderate quantity: two pegs for men and one for women. US Surgeon-General Dr Vivek Murthy recently told the New York Times in an interview that about 1 lakh cancer cases and 20 thousand related deaths are caused by cancers in US each year.

He has laid to rest all doubts on carcinogenicity of alcoholic beverages, recommending that alcoholic beverages should carrying warning labels on the containers, as do cigarettes packets, that liquor causes cancers.

Recent scientific studies have highlighted alcohol as a contributory factor for breast cancer, colon cancer and other five types of cancer, though advocates of moderate drink, scientists and manufacturers continue to spotlight its benefits for preventing cardio-vascular diseases.  But Murthy says that more current studies have linked moderate alcohol consumption to certain forms of heart disease as well, including atrial fibrillation, heart arrhythmia.

The American Medical Association has been warning for several years about the increased risk of cancer from any alcohol consumption. ``Despite decades of compelling evidence of this connection, too many in the public remain unaware of the alcohol’s risk,’’ the Association laments. Researchers of late have also challenged the methodology of earlier researches which reached a consensus that moderate drinking was beneficial to health.

Even one drink a day or less than raises the risk of breast, mouth and throat cancer, Dr Murthy says. He advises updating the warning label to include a heightened risk of breast cancer, colon cancer, and at least five other malignancies, now proved in scientific studies, due to alcohol consumption.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) also says that there is no safe limit for alcohol consumption. It said way back in 1988 that liquor is carcinogenic to humans.

At least one in six breast cancer cases is attributable to alcohol, researchers say. The link between alcohol and breast cancer has been a researched finding for decades but the warning labels are still carrying on with the old cautionary directive.

However, certain countries have taken note of the new scientific findings on liquor being carcinogenic. South Korea in 2016 released a variety of labels with different warning phrases for manufacturers to choose from, including one which warn about liver cancer on consumption of liquor. The country is reported to be among the countries where alcohol consumption is high.

From next year in Ireland, all containers of beer, wine and liquor will have to carry labels in red capital letters that ``there is direct link between alcohol and fatal cancers and that ``drinking alcohol causes liver cancer’’ It will become the first country in the world to do so.

Norway is also reported to be thinking on this line. It has already restricted sale of beer till 8 pm on weekdays and 6 p.m. on Saturdays. Thailand is thinking of regulating alcoholic drinks with warning that ``alcohol beverages can cause cancers.’’ Manufacturers have criticised the move.

A bill has been introduced in Parliament in Canada to legislate a new warning label warning drinkers that alcoholic drinks cause cancers. In the meanwhile, several countries have come out in support of the consensus that there is no safe level of drinking. There are also reports that American youths were kicking the bottle and taking to non-alcoholic beverages like mocktails and juices. According to a survey by the US Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services, use of alcohol among youths aged between 18-25 has come down from 59.6 percent in 2013 to 49.6 percent in 2023.

A CEO of a non-alcoholic e-commerce platform in US said to news agency Reuters that Dr Murthy’s advice has come at a time when more and more youths are realising that drinking alcohol is not good for them. But the voices that mater on this front in India, except a few, have so far been silent on it. Neither the Indian Medical Association nor any government agencies have taken note of the new researches’ findings.

Any move to the change warning label is likely to face a stiff opposition from the liquor lobby. Though change of warning on the label will not be of much help unless people at large are convinced of the link between liquor and cancer, but this way a beginning can be initiated to caution drinkers.

It took years and massive campaigns to link tobacco consumption and smoking to cancers and convince the tobacco users about it. To have an iconography on the cigarette packets for putting across a visual massage to the smokers about the link of its use and cancers took another several years to succeed. The cigarette manufacturers were opposing it on the ground that it will result in thousands of the workers in the industry losing their jobs.

Though the graphic image has not impacted smoking much. But it is the only rationale way to convince people to leave smoking. Similarly, neither will have the change of labels on the alcoholic beverages’ containers but it will definitely be a sincere beginning in the efforts to let good senses on the drinkers. It is the right time that the Centre took note of it, build a consensus and change the rules.