The World Health Organization (WHO) is calling on European governments to adopt tougher alcohol regulations after new research confirmed a strong link between alcohol consumption and cancer.
According to the WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), stricter measures such as higher taxes, marketing bans, and limits on availability could significantly reduce alcohol-related deaths, estimated at 800,000 annually across Europe, with one in six caused by cancer.
“There is no safe level of alcohol consumption when it comes to cancer risk,” said WHO Europe regional director Hans Kluge, emphasizing that curbing access and advertising are the most effective interventions. However, he admitted that implementing such policies is “bloody hard,” particularly in countries like France, Italy, and Spain, where alcohol is culturally and economically significant.
In Europe, impacts of alcohol and alcohol advertising can seem to be everywhere—even in marginalized communities such as LGBTQIA+ spaces.
To change these environments and protect the most vulnerable, strong policies are needed to #RedefineAlcohol. 🛡️ pic.twitter.com/bldnzjb6gD
— WHO/Europe (@WHO_Europe) October 3, 2024
MEP Romana Jerković, head of the MEPs Against Cancer group, warned that “millions of Europeans still do not know that this link exists,” urging clear cancer warnings on alcoholic beverages. Ireland has led efforts to introduce such labels, though its rollout has been delayed until 2028 due to industry lobbying.
Despite the EU’s Beating Cancer Plan aiming for a 10% reduction in alcohol use by 2025, progress has stalled amid powerful industry resistance. “It’s time to recognise the dangers of alcohol, just as we have done with tobacco,” Jerković stressed.
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