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Public awareness of the link between drinking alcohol and elevated cancer risk remains unchanged since February 2025, with over half of Americans saying that regularly consuming alcohol increases your chances of later developing cancer, according to a new survey by the Annenberg Public Policy Center (APPC) of the University of Pennsylvania.

A new study published in the European Journal of Public Health found that people who know alcohol can cause cancer are more likely to support stronger alcohol policies, especially measures on pricing, availability and point of sale regulation. The research covered 3,620 respondents in Bulgaria, Ireland, Latvia, Slovakia and Spain, and points to public awareness as an important factor in building support for more effective alcohol control.

Canadian researchers find that strong alcohol policies—cancer warning labels and minimum unit pricing—could prevent hundreds of cancer cases and deaths. A combined $2-per‑drink minimum price and warning label showed the greatest impact, with the largest benefits for lower‑income and younger populations.

The European Parliament adopted its World Cancer Day resolution on 12 February 2026, but rejected amendments that would have strengthened the wording on alcohol and cancer. A proposal to state that “no level of alcohol consumption is safe” was voted down, with the final text retaining a more cautious reference to WHO and IARC awareness of the link between alcohol and cancer. The vote revealed internal divisions across several political groups.

Up to 40% of global cancer cases could be prevented, according to WHO and IARC’s new analysis. The study links 7.1 million cases in 2022 to modifiable risks like tobacco, alcohol, infections, and air pollution, urging governments to adopt targeted prevention strategies.