'Big Alcohol' Deliberately Downplays Cancer Risk
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Global alcohol producers are deliberately misleading the public and policymakers about cancer risks associated with alcohol, particularly breast and colorectal cancer, to protect profits at the expense of public health — just like Big Tobacco did, say researchers. Qualitative analysis of all text related to cancer found on websites and in documents from 26 alcohol industry organizations shows that most of the information extensively misrepresents evidence about the association between alcohol and cancer, says Mark Petticrew, PhD, professor of public health evaluation in the Faculty of Public Health and Policy at London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, United Kingdom, and colleagues.
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@insiya Even low levels of alcohol consumption are associated with an increased risk for at least seven types of cancer (oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, esophagus, liver, breast, and colorectal cancers), the investigators say, noting that the alcohol industry uses denial or omission to dispute this. Distortion tactics mention cancer but misrepresent the actual risk, and distraction is used to veer the message away from the independent effects of alcohol on common cancers, especially breast cancer and colorectal cancer.