Why we should have cancer warnings on alcohol

For many people, alcohol is woven into celebrations, socialising, sporting events, dinners, and moments of relaxation. Because it is so familiar, alcohol is often seen as low risk. But there is a serious health reality of which many people are unaware: alcohol causes cancer.

Decades of research show that alcohol increases the risk of multiple cancers, including cancers of the mouth, throat, oesophagus, liver, bowel, and breast. For some cancers, such as breast cancer, the risk increases even at low levels of drinking. Yet despite this strong evidence, public awareness of the alcohol–cancer link remains limited. This matters, because people cannot act on a risk they do not recognise.

One practical way to address this gap is through clear cancer warning labels and public health messaging that explicitly links alcohol to cancer.

How cancer warnings improve understanding

Cancer warnings are designed to clearly state that alcohol increases cancer risk. Unlike vague health messages, cancer warnings are specific, direct, and difficult to misunderstand. Research shows that these warnings can meaningfully improve people’s knowledge and change how they think about drinking. For example, we ran an experiment testing a range of messages and found that messages explaining why alcohol is harmful – i.e., it causes cancer – along with guidance on how to reduce their drinking, were effective at motivating people to reduce their intake. This, and other research, has found that cancer warnings are equally effective among both lighter and heavier drinkers, making them a strong population-level approach. Cancer warnings provide a clear and compelling “why,” making the health risk more concrete and personally relevant.

Similar effects were found for a mass media campaign that explicitly advised drinkers about the alcohol–cancer link. The campaign was effective in reducing how often people drank, reducing the amount they consumed, or encouraging them to think more carefully about their alcohol use.

Why many people don’t see alcohol as harmful

If the evidence linking alcohol and cancer is so strong, why is awareness still so low? One major reason lies in how alcohol is marketed. Alcohol advertising overwhelmingly presents drinking as fun, social, and harmless. Advertisements commonly feature friendship groups, humour, celebrations, sporting success, and relaxation. Drinking is framed as a way to connect with others, enjoy life, and enhance social experiences, and any risks are rarely mentioned.

Over time, this marketing shapes social norms. Drinking comes to feel like an expected part of social life rather than a behaviour that exposes us to increased cancer risk. When people are constantly exposed to positive imagery around alcohol, information about harm can seem surprising or even hard to believe.

How cancer warnings push back against marketing

Cancer warnings help rebalance the information environment. While alcohol marketing emphasises enjoyment and social connection, warnings introduce a clear counter-message: this product increases cancer risk.

Seeing a cancer warning at the point of purchase or consumption creates a moment of pause. It disrupts the idea that alcohol is simply harmless fun and reminds people of the health consequences that advertising leaves out. These moments matter, because they occur when people are making real decisions about drinking.

Warnings also help challenge common misconceptions, such as the belief that some types of alcohol are safer than others or that moderate drinking carries no risk. By naming cancer explicitly, warnings make it harder for industry messaging to dominate people’s understanding.

Learning from tobacco

There is a clear parallel with tobacco. Decades ago, smoking was widely accepted and heavily marketed as glamorous and normal. Strong health warnings, including those highlighting cancer risks, played a key role in changing how society understands smoking and its risks. Over time, the idea that cigarettes are dangerous became common knowledge and smoking rates fell. Importantly, these hard-hitting warnings were equally effective with lighter and heavier smokers.

Alcohol warnings have the potential to follow a similar path. The principle is the same: people deserve clear, honest information about products that increase cancer risk, and this is even more the case for heavier users of the products.

Why this matters

Alcohol-related cancer is preventable. But prevention depends on awareness. Cancer warnings are not about banning alcohol or telling people what choices to make. They are about transparency.

At present, most messages people see about alcohol come from industry marketing that links drinking to humour, friendship, and social success. Cancer warnings ensure that accurate health information is not drowned out by these messages.

By improving understanding, challenging the idea that alcohol is harmless, and prompting reflection at key decision points, cancer warnings can play an important role in reducing harm. When people understand that alcohol causes cancer, they are better equipped to decide if and how alcohol fits into their lives.

Written by Professor Simone Pettigrew, The George Institute for Global Health.

All IAS Blogposts are published with the permission of the author. The views expressed are solely the author’s own and do not necessarily represent the views of the Institute of Alcohol Studies.