Labels of alcoholic beverages in the US are supposed to warn against cancer

Murthy justified his proposal by saying that alcohol consumption increases the risk of at least seven types of cancer. Specifically, it concerns cancer of the breast, rectum, liver, esophagus, mouth, larynx and throat. However, most American consumers do not know about it. “Alcohol consumption is the third leading preventable cause of cancer in the United States, after tobacco and obesity,” Murthy’s office said in a statement.

It also states that alcohol consumption in the USA is responsible for 100,000 cases of cancer and 20,000 deaths from this disease every year. For comparison, alcohol consumption in the US contributes to 13,500 deaths in traffic accidents annually, according to the Reuters agency.

Murthy also calls for a review of alcohol consumption limits so that people can always take the risk of cancer into account when deciding whether they want to drink. So far, the labels of alcoholic beverages in the US only contain warnings about birth defects in the children of mothers who drink during pregnancy, and about the ability to drive and operate machines. They have been on them since 1988.

The position that Murthy holds at the US Public Health Service is called “Surgeon General”. This function has no equivalent in the Czech Republic, but its powers are most similar to those of the chief hygienist.

Murthy’s proposal has already affected the value of shares of alcoholic beverage manufacturers. The most noticeable drop was recorded by the European companies Diageo and Pernod Ricard. The value of their shares fell by more than three percent. Among the American companies, Constellations Brands, Brown-Forman Corp and Molson Coors suffered the biggest drop. The value of their shares fell by one to two percent.