Sudhir VirulkarFeb 3, 2025
Sheril Kirshenbaum

Alcohol consumption is the 3rd leading preventable cause of cancer.

Risk communication scientists have been talking about this for a long time, but it’s v interesting to see this as the top headline at NYT. It’s about time. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/03/health/alcohol-surgeon-general-warning.html?unlocked_article_code=1.mU4.pNJV.R5903V-Md-27&smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare&tgrp=off #science #health

U.S. Surgeon General Calls for Cancer Warnings on Alcohol

Dr. Vivek Murthy’s report cites studies linking alcoholic beverages to at least seven malignancies, including breast cancer. But to add warning labels, Congress would have to act.

The New York Times
Jan 3, 2025 at 3:43pmMetatext
Show threadWendroid 🇺🇦Jan 3, 2025
@Sheril Addiction treatment and universal mental health coverage would be requisite for any significant reduction.
Show threadWilfried KlaebeJan 3, 2025
@Sheril See https://www.who.int/europe/news/item/04-01-2023-no-level-of-alcohol-consumption-is-safe-for-our-health too.
No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health

The risks and harms associated with drinking alcohol have been systematically evaluated over the years and are well documented.

Show threadNathan Parker Jan 3, 2025

@Sheril citing the change in absolute risk is really useful here, since it puts in on a scale people came make use of when they're weighing their choices. And even better is listing the dose response:

"...the absolute risk of breast cancer over a woman’s life span is about 11.3 percent (11 out of 100) for those who have less than a drink a week.

The risk increases to 13.1 percent (13 of 100 individuals) at one drink a day, and up to 15.3 percent (15 of 100) at two drinks per day.

For men, the absolute risk of developing an alcohol-related cancer increases from about 10 percent (10 of every 100 individuals) for those who consume less than one drink a week to 11.4 percent (11 per 100) for those who have a drink every day on average. It rises to 13 percent (13 of 100 individuals) for those who have two drinks a day on average."

Show threadRenderBJan 3, 2025
@Sheril It's also the one that isn't just socially acceptable, but actively pushed. We've stopped pretending that smoking is "cool", but drinking alcohol is something you "have to do as a real adult" in most cultures and media.