The surgeon general of the United States wants a cancer warning on alcoholic beverages. The long time coming update from Vivek Murthy sounds the alarm of alcohol's harm on the body and as a toxic carcinogen.

“Alcohol is a well-established, preventable cause of cancer responsible for about 100,000 cases of cancer and 20,000 cancer deaths annually in the United States – greater than the 13,500 alcohol-associated traffic crash fatalities per year in the U.S. – yet the majority of Americans are unaware of this risk,” Murthy stated.

The number one cause of death in Massachusetts is cancer. There are now three leading preventable causes of cancer: Obesity, tobacco, and now, alcohol.

7 cancers related to alcohol

The direct link between alcohol consumption and cancer risk is well-established for at least seven types of cancer including cancers of the breast, colorectum, esophagus, liver, mouth (oral cavity), throat (pharynx), and voice box (larynx), regardless of the type of alcohol (e.g., beer, wine, and spirits) that is consumed. For breast cancer specifically, 16.4% of total breast cancer cases are attributable to alcohol consumption. -hhs.gov

The top ten causes of death in Massachusetts

10. Chronic Liver Disease/Cirrhosis

The main factors that lead to this are viruses, obesity, and alcohol misuse.

9. Kidney Disease

Diabetes and high blood pressure are the main causes of kidney disease.

8. Alzheimer's Disease

The causes probably include a combination of age-related changes in the brain, along with genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors.

7. Diabetes

Type 1 you're born with, type 2 you develop with poor diet choices and physical inactivity.

6. Stroke

There are two main causes of stroke, a blocked artery (ischemic stroke) or leaking or bursting of a blood vessel (hemorrhagic stroke).

5. Chronic Lower Respiratory Diseases

Bronchitis, Pneumonia, Flu, and more all contribute to this conditions .

4. Accidents

Pedestrian deaths were up 35% last year (2022).

3. Covid-19

The pandemic was still high on the list of leading causes of death in Massachusetts.

2. Heart Disease

Leading risk factors for heart disease and stroke are high blood pressure, high low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, diabetes, smoking and secondhand smoke exposure, obesity, unhealthy diet, and physical inactivity.

1. Cancer

Breast, prostate, lung, colorectal, uterine, and bladder cancers, in that order, are the top types of diagnosed disease in Massachusetts and nationally.