Abstract
Although the World Health Organization (WHO) declared alcohol a Class 1 carcinogen 30 years ago, few governments have communicated this fact to the public. We illustrate how alcohol industry groups seek to keep their customers in the dark about alcohol-related cancer risks. In Canada, a federally funded scientific study examining the introduction of cancer warning labels on containers was shut down following industry interference. We show that the industry complaints about the study had no legal merit. Of 47 WHO member countries with alcohol warning labels, only South Korea requires cancer warnings on alcohol containers. However, industry complaints, supported by sympathetic governments, helped weaken the warning labels' implementation. Ireland has legislated for cancer warnings but faces continuing legal opposition expressed through regional and global bodies. Cancer societies and the public health community have failed to counter industry pressures to minimize consumer awareness of alcohol's cancer risks. Placing cancer warnings on alcohol containers could make a pivotal difference in motivating both drinkers to consume less and regulators to introduce more effective policies to reduce the serious harms of alcohol consumption.
Highlights
We have provided some concrete examples of the ways in which powerful alcohol industry groups work hard at the regional, national, and international level to keep their customers in the dark about the cancer risk from alcohol
In Yukon, Canada, a government-funded scientific study to evaluate the potential impact of cancer and other warning labels was shut down following industry complaints and implied legal action
Only South Korea has successfully implemented some form of cancer warning on alcohol containers
Summary
Subsequent to the industry intervention, the Yukon Minister responsible for Liquor publicly announced in February 2018 that the study could proceed provided that the cancer warning label was dropped (Whitehorse Star, 2018) He stated that the evidence for the causal link between drinking and cancer was not in dispute, his government had limited resources and he was concerned about potential legal action by the Canadian alcohol producers. (Copies of all the original emails so obtained that were sent from alcohol industry representatives to the Yukon government can be viewed at: https://www.uvic.ca/research/centres/cisur/ assets/docs/industry-emails.pdf) These emails, along with media statements by alcohol industry representatives, a letter of complaint to the University of Victoria from a beer industry lobby group, and communications between the research team and the Yukon Liquor Corporation, revealed several industry claims about the legality of the labeling intervention.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
