INDIANAPOLIS — A new advisory from the U.S. Surgeon General warns alcohol has a direct link to seven types of cancer. This comes as many are participating in dry January.
Because of that link, some experts are urging that an additional warning be added to the labeling.
"Better sleep hands down,” Kristin Patrick, the Co-Founder of Orangily, said. “I am a huge believer that anyone who wants to take a look at their sleep patterns needs to think about eliminating alcohol. But also clearer skin and I would say higher creativity."
Patrick says those are some of the health benefits she has noticed since going alcohol-free. Now, she co-owns Orangily, an alcohol-free beverage store.
“The most popular is the Hiyo, and that would fall into that functional category,” Patrick said.
A popular trend called Dry January has people not drinking during the first month of the year.
Patrick says cutting out alcohol altogether is becoming a movement due to the health benefits people see when they stop drinking.
"The more you learn, the harder it is to ignore the compelling research around the negative impacts of alcohol,” Patrick said.
Now, the United States Surgeon General says there are around 100,000 alcohol-related cancer cases and about 20,000 alcohol-related cancer deaths every year.
"People are unaware of what we have known in the medical community for a long time,” Dr. Derek Bast, a family medical provider at Franciscan Health, said. “There is a strong link between alcohol and cancer and I think that the general populous is unaware of that connection.“
Dr. Bast says adding a cancer warning to bottles of alcohol would inform the public. He thinks it could be valuable for people with higher cancer risks.
"We have overwhelming evidence that alcohol can be linked to cancer,” Dr. Bast said. “Up until this point, it's just been difficult for us to get that to the population, and what better way than to put that on the label?"
It would take an act of Congress to add a new surgeon general's warning to bottles containing alcohol.
If you are concerned about how much you drink, you can try alternatives or follow the guidance of the CDC. It says women should have no more than 8 drinks per week, and men should have no more than 15.
To read the full advisory from the Surgeon General, click here.
