European health organisations warn of link between alcohol drinking, cancer

An alliance of European health organisations Tuesday congratulated the International Agency for Research on Cancer and the European Commission on the release of the updated 4th edition of the European Code Against Cancer.
Mariann Skar, Secretary General of the alliance known as Eurocare, in a statement expressed her support to the updated Code and said "we are delighted with the clear message it conveys in relation to the consumption of alcohol.
"We would like to call on all actors, public and private, to help raise awareness about the fact that alcohol contributes to cancer development. We all have the right to know not only what is in our drinks but also what side effects they cause to our health," she said.
The first conclusive links between alcohol and cancer were established back in 1987, yet nearly 25 years later public awareness about these links is alarmingly low, she noted.
One in five European citizens still do not believe that there is connection between alcohol and cancer.
The ethanol found in all alcoholic beverages is classified as group I carcinogen. As revealed in the Code, there is "no doubt" that alcohol can cause cancers of the oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, oesophagus, liver, colorectum and breast.
Skar said that the message in relation to alcohol consumption in the new European Code Against Cancer is: "If you drink alcohol of any type, limit your intake. Not drinking alcohol is better for cancer prevention." The Brussels-based European Alcohol Policy Alliance (Eurocare) is an alliance of non-governmental and public health organisations with around 57 member organisations across 25 European countries advocating the prevention and reduction of alcohol related harm in Europe.