Surgeon General Warns: No Safe Level of Alcohol Consumption, Links to Cancer Highlighted

Even moderate alcohol intake—such as a single glass of red wine per day—may increase the risk of cancer, according to a new advisory issued by U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy. The warning challenges long-held beliefs that moderate drinking, especially red wine, could offer health benefits and calls for a significant reassessment of public perceptions and regulatory practices regarding alcohol.

The Surgeon General’s Advisory emphasizes that alcohol is a well-established carcinogen, contributing to approximately 100,000 cancer cases and 20,000 cancer-related deaths each year in the United States. These figures surpass the annual number of alcohol-related traffic fatalities, which stands at around 13,500. Despite this, public awareness of alcohol’s cancer risk remains low.

People drinking alcohol | Source: Pexels

“We now know that there is no safe level for alcohol consumption, and that alcohol is a known carcinogen,” said Dr. Faiz Bhora, professor and regional chair of surgery at Hackensack Meridian Health. “It causes oxidative stress and impairs DNA repair... leading to cell cycle dysregulation and cancer formation.”

The advisory cites studies linking alcohol to at least seven types of cancer, including breast cancer. It calls on alcoholic beverage manufacturers to update product warning labels to include these risks. Current labels primarily address dangers related to pregnancy and impaired driving.

Person getting a beer | Source: Pexels

Dr. Bhora criticized resistance to more explicit warnings, attributing it to “social and political pressures.” He also questioned the validity of past studies promoting the cardiovascular benefits of alcohol, noting flawed methodologies.