The surgeon general wants the U.S. to know alcohol causes cancer. Plenty
stands in his way
excerpt
"Proposed new warning labels would require action by Congress and the next
White House
By Isabella Cueto Jan. 4, 2025
Chronic Disease Reporter
As one of his final official acts, Surgeon General Vivek Murthy has called for the
nation to recognize new risks tied to alcohol consumption. That could take
many allies, several years, a label revamp, and some lawyers.
On Friday, Murthy recommended an update to a decades-old surgeon general
warning printed on all alcohol containers in the United States. He proposed that
the labels have a more eye-catching look and warn users that drinking
increases cancer risks.
In taking on alcohol as he finishes his term as the nation’s top health educator,
Murthy is placing a historically inert issue at the feet of a second Trump
administration, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has pledged to get toxins
out of the nation’s food supply if confirmed as health secretary. Kennedy has
said little about alcohol, but is in long-term recovery; President-elect Donald
Trump says he abstains from drinking because his brother died of alcohol use
disorder. "
|
|
The Deadliest Drug
Opioids are taking the news headlines by storm, and rightfully so, as we are
living amongst a deadly opioid epidemic here in the US. People are dying from
prescription pills every day, and we cannot do enough to reduce the number of
these deaths. However, what we don’t hear enough about is alcohol and how
deadly it is. Alcohol is the most socially acceptable drug on the market and the
most easily accessible. Even with this knowledge, the general public still has a
tendency to believe alcohol is ok, not dangerous, and an acceptable form of
relaxation. Science tells us something different. Alcohol is the deadliest drug of
all. Let’s look at why this is true.
Alcohol Kills More People Than All Other Drugs Combined.
Alcohol is the third leading preventable cause of death in the US. The National
Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism has reported that alcohol causes
88,000 deaths each year. Alcohol has shortened the lifespan of those 88,000
human beings by 30 years. All other drugs combined only cause 30,000
deaths a year. Alcohol is not only harmful to the individual, but it’s also harmful
to society as a whole. Its negative effects are wide-ranging and can result in
injuries, car accidents, violence, and sexual assault. Even with knowing this,
alcohol is still more common than other drugs, and alcohol distributors and
bartenders are not looked at like drug dealers who sell heroin and cocaine.
Alcohol is different than other illicit substances that we know can cause
overdose deaths because alcohol can also kill people slowly by deteriorating
the body.
Paid Advertising. We receive advertising fees from purchases through
BetterHelp links.
Online Counseling for Alcohol Addiction
Get professional help from an online addiction and mental health counselor
from BetterHelp.
Start receiving support via phone, video, or live-chat.
Take the Quiz
Get Matched
Begin Therapy
START THE QUIZ
Personalized Matching Process
Easy Online Scheduling
30,000+ Licensed Therapists
Alcohol Is 3 Times As Harmful As Cocaine Or Tobacco.
According to a study released in 2010 by a group of British scientists, alcohol
was rated the most harmful drug overall and almost three times as harmful as
cocaine or tobacco. In comparison, ecstasy was only one eighth as harmful as
alcohol. This ranking encouraged the scientists to say that aggressively
targeting the harms of alcohol is a necessary public health strategy. They also
mentioned that the current drug classifications had little to do with the relation
to the evidence of harm. Just because cocaine and heroin are illegal doesn’t
make them more dangerous. The World Health Organization estimates risks
linked to alcohol cause 2.5 million deaths worldwide each year from heart and
liver disease, road accidents, suicides, and cancer. On the scale given by the
scientists, alcohol received a score of 72 out of 100. Heroin received a 55, while
crack received a 54.
Alcohol Is More Easily Accessible Than Most Other Drugs.
Even though it is the deadliest drug, alcohol is legal in the US and Britain, as
well as many other countries around the world. As we can see from this study
and alcohol’s far-reaching effects, legal substances cause just as much
damage, or more, than illegal substances. This might be in part because of how
easy it is to access alcohol. Most people don’t even call alcohol a drug because
of its acceptance and accessibility in our society. Did you know that more
people enter treatment facilities for alcohol misuse than any other drug?
According to Psychology Today, only 50% of Americans drink. Of that 50%, the
majority of alcohol is consumed by the top 10 percent. Those heavy drinkers
consume about 73 drinks per week. This means that Big Alcohol must sell to
heavy, problematic drinkers. Their target market is a group of people are sick
and suffering. This is no different from regular drug dealers who depend on
consumers to buy their products.
Alcohol Directly Causes A Variety Of Diseases.
Alcohol is the direct cause of 7 forms of cancer. Even light to moderate drinkers
are at risk. The study, published in the journal Addiction, provided evidence that
alcohol is the direct cause of breast, liver, colon, esophagus, and other types of
cancer. The researchers also mentioned that there is growing evidence, though
not conclusive yet, that alcohol also causes skin, prostate, and pancreatic
cancer. Alcohol also causes fatty liver disease, cirrhosis of the liver, and alcohol
hepatitis. These conditions can kill drinkers slowly and over many years. Heavy
drinking can weaken the heart and affect how oxygen and nutrients are
delivered to certain organs in your body. Prolonged and excessive alcohol use
can also interfere with brain function and structure. Not to mention the
secondhand events that occur like car accidents, DUIs, drunken injuries, toxic
relationships, and destruction of property.
The truth is alcohol is the deadliest drug and the research and statistics prove
this. In a country that is focusing solely on the current opioid epidemic, these
facts are a good reminder that alcohol is deadlier and more socially acceptable
than other drugs. Next time someone tries to justify drinking alcohol, remember
it causes cancer and other diseases, it’s three times as harmful as cocaine or
tobacco, and it causes more deaths than all other drugs combined. We
shouldn’t just accept alcohol was a part of life; we should talk about just how
deadly it is.
|
|