22 July 2016: A new review is published today in the journal Addiction, which concludes that the evidence for alcohol causing cancer is strong. The review’s author is Jennie Connor, from the University of Otago in New Zealand.
Responding to the publication of the review, entitled Alcohol consumption as a cause of cancer, Colin Shevills, from the Alcohol Health Alliance UK, said:
“This important review reinforces the need for the public to be made aware of the causal link between alcohol and cancer. Research shows that only around 1 in 10 people are currently aware of the alcohol-cancer link.
People have the right to know about the impact of alcohol on their health, including its link with cancer, so that they can make informed choices about how much they drink.
In light of the strengthening of the evidence and the UK’s Chief Medical Officers’ guidelines, the government has a responsibility to ensure the public are more informed of the risks of drinking, and there is public appetite for this information. The government should take action and invest in awareness raising campaigns and ensure that all alcohol products have the risks of drinking displayed at-a-glance so that drinkers are not kept in the dark and potentially put at risk.”