The International Agency on Research on Cancer Monographs has declared alcohol carcinogenic.

 

It is the ethanol within alcohol that is carcinogenic and it is impossible to differentiate between different risks associated with different alcohol.

 

According to some studies, 10% of total cancer in men and 3% of total cancer in women could be attributable to alcohol consumption.

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Experts have known since 1987 that alcohol can cause cancer, but the connection between the two is often unknown or ignored. Research in Europe has shown that 1 in 10 Europeans do not know about the connection, and that 1 in 5 do not believe that there is a connection between cancer and the drinks that millions of us enjoy every week. We hope that this website will raise awareness about the dangers of alcohol and be a become a resourceful hub for everyone who wants to do the best they can to protect themselves and their families from cancer.    

 

"People have the right to know about all of the dangers of alcohol.  Many people are unaware that alcohol can cause seven different types of cancer, and that needs to change.  Policies on alcohol pricing, labelling, marketing and advertising must reflect the fact that alcohol can be extremely harmful to health." Member of the European Parliament, Glenis Wilmott

 

For some cancers the combined effects of drinking alcohol and smoking tobacco greatly exceed the risk from either factor alone. Compare with non-smoking non drinkers, the approximate relative risks for developing mouth and throat cancers are up to 7 times greater for people who smoke tobacco, up to 6 times greater for those who drink alcohol, but more than 35 times greater for those who are regular, heavy users of both substances.

 

Combined effect of alcohol and smoking has been estimated to be responsible for more than 75% of cancer of the upper aerodigestive (throat, mouth etc) tract.