Alarming Iowa Cancer Rates Echo Surgeon General’s Call For New Alcohol Warning Labels

(Undated) The nation’s top doctor is calling for new alcohol warning labels following a report from the University of Iowa.  Last year, epidemiologists released a report indicating alcohol-related cancers were on the rise across the state.  The 2024 Cancer in Iowa report cited several statistics, which included Iowa’s binge drinking rate being the 4th highest in the country and that Iowa’s alcohol-related cancer incidence was also the 4th highest.  On Friday, U.S. Surgeon General Doctor Vivek Murthy issued an advisory calling for new warning labels on alcoholic beverages that explicitly mention cancer risks.  He says this push for new labels is necessary as old labeling standards fail to address alcohol’s status as a known carcinogen while warning against pregnancy risks and drunk driving.