Which countries warn that alcohol may cause cancer?

Should the United States follow the Surgeon General’s call on Friday for cancer warning labels? AlcoholIt will join a small group of countries advising drinkers of the risks.

The World Health Organization concluded in 1988 that alcohol is carcinogenic to humans, and it has been. For years he said The harms of alcohol are well documented. “A safe amount of alcohol consumption cannot be determined for the treatment of cancer,” WHO I mentioned In 2023.

But a group of researchers in A He studies In 2020, it was published that only a quarter of the world’s countries require any health warnings on alcohol. Their language is generally vague, and cancer warnings are rare.

The report by US Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy, included an overview of studies and reviews published over the past 20 years, including a global study of 195 countries and territories that included 28 million people. The research found that increased alcohol consumption is associated with an increased risk of cancer.

Here are some countries that have linked cancer to alcohol or are considering more aggressive classifications.

South Korea

Only South Korea has a warning label about liver cancer. In 2016, the state imposed a set of alcohol labels, some of which include warnings about liver cancer.

However, manufacturers can choose to apply alternative labels that do not mention cancer to their products.

South Korea has long ranked high among countries in alcohol consumption, according to the World Health Organization and the country’s authorities Sometimes try to take action Against the national drinking culture. In 2012, for example, the police in Seoul A crackdown was announced On drunken violence.

Ireland

Starting in 2026, labels that say “There is a direct link between alcohol and fatal cancers” and “Drinking alcohol causes liver disease” in large red letters will be required on all beer, wine and liquor containers. Sold In Ireland.

The rule has been signed into law in 2023 and will make Ireland the first country to impose a general link between any level of drinking and cancer, according to World Cancer Research Fund.

Ireland has for years sought various stringent measures to curb alcohol use. In 2022, the country imposed a minimum Alcohol pricing, a move described by the country’s public health minister, Stephen Donnelly, as “designed to reduce serious illness and deaths from alcohol consumption and to reduce the pressure on our health services from alcohol-related conditions”.

Ireland has been at the forefront of other public health policies in the past. In 2004, it became the first country to ban smoking in indoor workplaces, including bars and restaurants. Since the law was implemented, more than 70 countries have followed suit.

Efforts of other countries

Norway already pretty much regulates Alcohol, restricting beer sales before 8pm on weekdays and 6pm on Saturdays, and selling wine, spirits and “strong beer” only in government alcohol stores. But in recent years the country has been development Proposals to include cancer warnings, according to local media.

Thailand is also working on a regulation requiring alcohol to have labels with graphic images and text warnings such as “Alcoholic beverages can cause cancer.” According to the Bangkok Post newspaper. Industry groups They criticized the proposal.

Although Canada does not impose cancer warnings on alcohol, a bill requiring labels indicating a direct link has been introduced into the law. Canadian Parliament in 2022. A group of researchers in Canada sought to study the impact of warning labels mentioning cancer in 2017, but complaints from alcohol trade groups He drove The local government to stop studying.

In recent years, the authorities in Canada, Britain Many other countries have supported the idea that there is no safe drinking level. Some governments in countries with high rates of alcohol consumption have also moved to reduce consumption. Including in RussiaThis effort was one of its main goals in the field of public health.

Ronnie Karen Rabin and Ted Alcorn Contributed to reports.