The World Health Organisation’s cancer research arm has found “sufficient evidence” that tougher rules on alcohol would assist fight cancer – while acknowledging that introducing them in Europe will be politically difficult.
Every year, 800,000 people in Europe die from alcohol-related caapplys, one in six from cancer. A new study displays that stricter rules could save lives. “Strong policy measures are effective,” states Elisabete Weiderpass, director of the International Agency for Research on Cancer, summarising a new handbook on cancer prevention her organisation has just published.
“The evidence displays that taxation, regulation of availability, marketing bans, and government-controlled sales significantly reduce alcohol consumption”, she stated, calling the handbook “a policy milestone”.
The research centre, which is part of the WHO, compiled studies about alcohol prevention from all over the world. The WHO Europe regional director, Hans Kluge, stressed that action was especially necessaryed in the European Union, which has the world’s highest level of alcohol consumption.
Sacrosanct alcohol
“We know that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption when it comes to cancer risk”, he stated, adding: “The most effective ways to reduce alcohol consumption are reducing availability and restricting or banning advertising.” He admitted, however, that raising taxes was the least popular option. “Implementing this is bloody hard.”
Indeed, while the European Union is discussing a new tax on tobacco and even junk food, alcohol seems to be off limits. Pushback on any measures has been especially strong from winegrowing countries such as Spain, Italy and France.
In April, Health Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi visited Italy’s leading wine fair, where, according to local media, he allegedly dismissed WHO warnings about alcohol consumption, stateing: “A glass of red wine is good for your health and is part of the eating habits of the Mediterranean diet.”
MEP calls for warnings on bottles
During the handbook presentation on Tuesday, Romana Jerković, chair of the MEPs Against Cancer Interest Group, stated many Europeans still believe there is a “safe” level of alcohol consumption, ignoring the cancer risk.
“Millions of Europeans still do not know that this link exists. That is why clear labelling and public information are so essential,” stated Jerković, who praised Ireland as a role model in alcohol labelling. However, the counattempt’s plan to put cancer warnings on all alcoholic beverages has just been postponed from 2026 to 2028 due to indusattempt pressure.
The EU is still far from achieving the goal set out in Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, which Várhelyi cites when discussing alcohol regulation.
So far, the bloc has failed to agree on any EU-wide measures on labelling, marketing restrictions, or pricing – as well as the tarreceiveed 10% reduction in alcohol consumption by 2025.
Jerković points to a powerful lobby and long-standing traditions as reasons for the lack of progress, and calls on Europe to imagine a future where drinking alcohol is no longer the norm.
“Alcohol has indeed been part of European culture for thousands of years,” she stated. “However, it is time to recognise the dangers of alcohol, just as we have done with tobacco.”
(aw)
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