Surgeon General links Alcohol to Cancer (1 Viewer)

[El Floppo]

U.S. Surgeon General Issues New Advisory on Link Between Alcohol and Cancer Risk.

https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2025/01/03/us-surgeon-general-issues-new-advisory-link-alcohol-cancer-risk.html

 

[DA RAIDERS]

File this under duh. What’s next? Cocaine?

Not directed at my boy floppo.

 

[IvanKaramazov]

What's next? They're going to tell me that smoking is bad for me?

 

[kupcho1]

Joe Jackson said it best in 1982.

 

[El Floppo]

I'm glad we're all so blase about it.

Will this affect your intake of alcohol?

 

[bcat01]

I'm glad we're all so blase about it.

Will this affect your intake of alcohol?

No. Everything we eat or drink that is not natural likely causes cancer. They could put this label on nearly everything.

 

[IvanKaramazov]

I'm glad we're all so blase about it.

Will this affect your intake of alcohol?

Seriously? We knew this in high school. Why would something I learned 30+ years ago cause me to change my behavior today?

My assumption here is that the outgoing Surgeon General just needed a little attention.

 

[Kiddnets]

So the Surgeon General is telling me to switch to weed full time????

 

[El Floppo]

I never knew this in HS. This wasn't discussed like smoking was. And after the smoking announcement...there's been a shift in the culture about it. I had assumed this will lead to eventual shift similar to smoking.

But nobody really seems to care?

 

[urbanhack]

I never knew this in HS. This wasn't discussed like smoking was. And after the smoking announcement...there's been a shift in the culture about it. I had assumed this will lead to eventual shift similar to smoking.

But nobody really seems to care?

I care.

 

[Bob Loblaw]

So the Surgeon General is telling me to switch to weed full time????

Is hitting a pen any worse than actual flower? Asking for a friend.

 

[Josh Hines-Ward-Alan-Carr]

I never knew this in HS. This wasn't discussed like smoking was. And after the smoking announcement...there's been a shift in the culture about it. I had assumed this will lead to eventual shift similar to smoking.

But nobody really seems to care?

I think it's more that it's been known for a long time? Why is this news?

 

[Josh Hines-Ward-Alan-Carr]

So the Surgeon General is telling me to switch to weed full time????

Is hitting a pen any worse than actual flower? Asking for a friend.

Feels like edibles/drinks with no lung involvement are likely best?

 

[3C's]

Will this affect your intake of alcohol?

Yes, planning to drink more to calm my nerves.

 

[⚡DEADHEAD⚡]

I think maybe the bigger story covered in a summary I read (hopefully accurate) is that the presumed health benefits of drinking alcohol in moderation may not exist. It's long been thought that drinking red wine, for example, is good for you. The French Paradox, made famous in that 60 Minutes episode.

I am reevaluating my relationship with alcohol mostly due to weight gain, poor sleep, decline in energy levels. I am attempting a New Years resolution to abstain from drinking more days during the year than those that I do drink. Would seem easy. I tried a couple years ago. Lasted a few months. Too often, I enjoy wine or beer after work to break the day, settle into cooking dinner, chat with my wife. But I need to take a little better care of myself.

 

[jamny]

I think maybe the bigger story covered in a summary I read (hopefully accurate) is that the presumed health benefits of drinking alcohol in moderation may not exist. It's long been thought that drinking red wine, for example, is good for you. The French Paradox, made famous in that 60 Minutes episode.

I am reevaluating my relationship with alcohol mostly due to weight gain, poor sleep, decline in energy levels. I am attempting a New Years resolution to abstain from drinking more days during the year than those that I do drink. Would seem easy. I tried a couple years ago. Lasted a few months. Too often, I enjoy wine or beer after work to break the day, settle into cooking dinner, chat with my wife. But I need to take a little better care of myself.

Same here. During covid, we started drinking more, having a bottle of wine with dinner pretty much every night and more, with beer too, on weekends. Last year, we started cutting out drinking Monday to Wednesday and we're adding Thursdays this year. Tougher to do when we go out to eat, so I'll be cooking more on Thursdays. Although I do like having a beer while I cook.

 

[urbanhack]

So the Surgeon General is telling me to switch to weed full time????

Is hitting a pen any worse than actual flower? Asking for a friend.

Yes.

Lot's of factors at play. Is it flavored distillate? (if so...get rid of it)

The ideal scenario for using a pen is to look for cartridges that have solventless rosin or live resin (avoid any flavoring) and to use the pen at the lowest temperature setting.

 

[Wildcat]

I think maybe the bigger story covered in a summary I read (hopefully accurate) is that the presumed health benefits of drinking alcohol in moderation may not exist. It's long been thought that drinking red wine, for example, is good for you. The French Paradox, made famous in that 60 Minutes episode.

I am reevaluating my relationship with alcohol mostly due to weight gain, poor sleep, decline in energy levels. I am attempting a New Years resolution to abstain from drinking more days during the year than those that I do drink. Would seem easy. I tried a couple years ago. Lasted a few months. Too often, I enjoy wine or beer after work to break the day, settle into cooking dinner, chat with my wife. But I need to take a little better care of myself.

Same here. During covid, we started drinking more, having a bottle of wine with dinner pretty much every night and more, with beer too, on weekends. Last year, we started cutting out drinking Monday to Wednesday and we're adding Thursdays this year. Tougher to do when we go out to eat, so I'll be cooking more on Thursdays. Although I do like having a beer while I cook.

I'm in the same boat. I might try this with my wife. We started drinking more after Covid too. I've gained 20 pounds since and now have high BP, borderline high cholesterol, and severe sleep apnea. Sure those could all be non-alcohol related, or not solely because of it, but it doesn't help. Last night, we had tacos, and of course, margaritas had to go with. Then I had some whiskey on top of it. Next thing I knew, I was 4 drinks in. There are many nights I don't drink an ounce, but this week, it's been almost every night.

 

[Brony]

I never knew this in HS. This wasn't discussed like smoking was. And after the smoking announcement...there's been a shift in the culture about it. I had assumed this will lead to eventual shift similar to smoking.

But nobody really seems to care?

I betcha Spuds McKenzie has some egg on his face today.

 

[3C's]

So the Surgeon General is telling me to switch to weed full time????

Is hitting a pen any worse than actual flower? Asking for a friend.

Yes.

Lot's of factors at play. Is it flavored distillate? The ideal scenario for using a pen is to look for cartridges that have solventless rosin or live resin and to use the pen at the lowest temperature setting.

I don't have those fancy pens so no temp adjustment.

 

[Terminalxylem]

We’ve known this link exists for a long time.

One of many reasons the World Health Organization declared “no safe level of alcohol consumption” a few years ago, despite the few studies that show cardiovascular benefit in moderation.

 

[jamny]

I think maybe the bigger story covered in a summary I read (hopefully accurate) is that the presumed health benefits of drinking alcohol in moderation may not exist. It's long been thought that drinking red wine, for example, is good for you. The French Paradox, made famous in that 60 Minutes episode.

I am reevaluating my relationship with alcohol mostly due to weight gain, poor sleep, decline in energy levels. I am attempting a New Years resolution to abstain from drinking more days during the year than those that I do drink. Would seem easy. I tried a couple years ago. Lasted a few months. Too often, I enjoy wine or beer after work to break the day, settle into cooking dinner, chat with my wife. But I need to take a little better care of myself.

Same here. During covid, we started drinking more, having a bottle of wine with dinner pretty much every night and more, with beer too, on weekends. Last year, we started cutting out drinking Monday to Wednesday and we're adding Thursdays this year. Tougher to do when we go out to eat, so I'll be cooking more on Thursdays. Although I do like having a beer while I cook.

I'm in the same boat. I might try this with my wife. We started drinking more after Covid too. I've gained 20 pounds since and now have high BP, borderline high cholesterol, and severe sleep apnea. Sure those could all be non-alcohol related, or not solely because of it, but it doesn't help. Last night, we had tacos, and of course, margaritas had to go with. Then I had some whiskey on top of it. Next thing I knew, I was 4 drinks in. There are many nights I don't drink an ounce, but this week, it's been almost every night.

Yeah, we went a bit overboard on the holidays...lol
I have the toughest sleep on Monday but by Wednesday, it's the best sleep. Looking forward to seeing how it is on Thursdays.

 

[Terminalxylem]

I'm glad we're all so blase about it.

Will this affect your intake of alcohol?

No. Everything we eat or drink that is not natural likely causes cancer. They could put this label on nearly everything.

This is only true for a few food additives, microplastics/forever chemicals +/- some contaminants, like pesticides. Certainly not every non-natural food additive, and not to the same extent alcohol consumption poses.

 

[Captain Cranks]

I never knew this in HS. This wasn't discussed like smoking was.

Somebody else apparently did and that's all that matters.

 

[Parrothead]

meh.. alcohol has been around for thousands and thousands of years.. processed/ fast foods and soda maybe a 100 or so..

I'll keep on skipping the fast food and sugar soda and take my chances

 

[Terminalxylem]

I think maybe the bigger story covered in a summary I read (hopefully accurate) is that the presumed health benefits of drinking alcohol in moderation may not exist. It's long been thought that drinking red wine, for example, is good for you. The French Paradox, made famous in that 60 Minutes episode.

I am reevaluating my relationship with alcohol mostly due to weight gain, poor sleep, decline in energy levels. I am attempting a New Years resolution to abstain from drinking more days during the year than those that I do drink. Would seem easy. I tried a couple years ago. Lasted a few months. Too often, I enjoy wine or beer after work to break the day, settle into cooking dinner, chat with my wife. But I need to take a little better care of myself.

I don’t think the cardiovascular benefits of low level consumption have been dismissed, just the totality of evidence suggests harm exceeds benefit, + “moderation” is difficult to achieve.

Studies showing longevity benefit have been criticized for inclusion of people who quit drinking as abstainers (versus never drinkers), under the assumption some were “sick quitters”, who made teetotalers look less healthy. That said, more carefully controlled population studies do show a mortality sweet spot around 1/2 drink per day.

 

[General Malaise]

Is it too late to reverse the damage if a person has been a heavy drinker for, say, 30 years?

 

[Parrothead]

.. there are more old drunks than there are old doctors...

 

[Terminalxylem]

Is it too late to reverse the damage if a person has been a heavy drinker for, say, 30 years?

Completely? Probably.

But some improvement is certainly possible, and even if you dodge cancer, cirrhosis is a terrible way to die.

 

[Terminalxylem]

.. there are more old drunks than there are old doctors...

There’s a fair share of Venn diagram overlap.

 

[General Malaise]

meh.. alcohol has been around for thousands and thousands of years.. processed/ fast foods and soda maybe a 100 or so..

I'll keep on skipping the fast food and sugar soda and take my chances

Our Founding Fathers and their ilk drank mostly beer and cider due to lack of potable drinking water. In fact, water was the drink of the poor since they couldn't afford the safer libations. The men who framed our constitution would wake up with a low-alcohol drink to start their day and continue on throughout.

Ben Franklin died at 84. Take that modern science.

 

[Terminalxylem]

meh.. alcohol has been around for thousands and thousands of years.. processed/ fast foods and soda maybe a 100 or so..

I'll keep on skipping the fast food and sugar soda and take my chances

If only there were non-processed foods and non-alcoholic beverages.

 

[Terminalxylem]

meh.. alcohol has been around for thousands and thousands of years.. processed/ fast foods and soda maybe a 100 or so..

I'll keep on skipping the fast food and sugar soda and take my chances

Our Founding Fathers and their ilk drank mostly beer and cider due to lack of potable drinking water. In fact, water was the drink of the poor since they couldn't afford the safer libations. The men who framed our constitution would wake up with a low-alcohol drink to start their day and continue on throughout.

Ben Franklin died at 84. Take that modern science.

And the oldest human on record, Jeanne Calment, smoked until age 119, ate dessert and drank port wine with nearly every meal.

Plus, Crème Puff, the worlds oldest cat, was fed half a dropper of red wine every other day, up to the ripe age of 38.

 

[El Floppo]

meh.. alcohol has been around for thousands and thousands of years.. processed/ fast foods and soda maybe a 100 or so..

I'll keep on skipping the fast food and sugar soda and take my chances

If only there were non-processed foods and non-alcoholic beverages.

Michelob ultra?

 

[Parrothead]

meh.. alcohol has been around for thousands and thousands of years.. processed/ fast foods and soda maybe a 100 or so..

I'll keep on skipping the fast food and sugar soda and take my chances

If only there were non-processed foods and non-alcoholic beverages.

yep- I haven't had fast food in nearlhy 20 years and I do not drink soda.. is my vice that I enjoy

 

[Dr_Zaius]

Studies showing longevity benefit have been criticized for inclusion of people who quit drinking as abstainers (versus never drinkers), under the assumption some were “sick quitters”, who made teetotalers look less healthy. That said, more carefully controlled population studies do show a mortality sweet spot around 1/2 drink per day.

Any thoughts on what the mechanism is for this? The alcohol = good for your heart conclusion gets criticized, but the all cause mortality benefit to light drinking seems to show up a lot. The counterargument that it's confounded with other things (e.g., successful high income people are more likely to drink moderately, and wealth is positively correlated with longer life) is fairly persuasive, but surely people try to control for that in their experimental designs?

 

[Judge Smails]

If I quit, and I might, it would be because I hate the way it affects my sleep

 

[3C's]

meh.. alcohol has been around for thousands and thousands of years.. processed/ fast foods and soda maybe a 100 or so..

I'll keep on skipping the fast food and sugar soda and take my chances

If only there were non-processed foods and non-alcoholic beverages.

Michelob ultra?

I already get plenty of water.

 

[jamny]

meh.. alcohol has been around for thousands and thousands of years.. processed/ fast foods and soda maybe a 100 or so..

I'll keep on skipping the fast food and sugar soda and take my chances

If only there were non-processed foods and non-alcoholic beverages.

yep- I haven't had fast food in nearlhy 20 years and I do not drink soda.. is my vice that I enjoy

Same. My wife and I don't want to quit since we enjoy the taste and effects. Just feel that at 60, I need to. Hitting that age definitely changes your mindset in more ways than I imagined.

 

[Mrs. Rannous]

I never knew this in HS. This wasn't discussed like smoking was. And after the smoking announcement...there's been a shift in the culture about it. I had assumed this will lead to eventual shift similar to smoking.

But nobody really seems to care?

If everything causes cancer, nothing does. It's just silly at this point.

 

[3C's]

I never knew this in HS. This wasn't discussed like smoking was. And after the smoking announcement...there's been a shift in the culture about it. I had assumed this will lead to eventual shift similar to smoking.

But nobody really seems to care?

If everything causes cancer, nothing does. It's just silly at this point.

It's like the "arguments" I have with a low carb friend. You might live an extra year avoiding pizza, beer, and cake, but I'll enjoy the years I do live more than you.

 

[Psychopav]

I never knew this in HS. This wasn't discussed like smoking was. And after the smoking announcement...there's been a shift in the culture about it. I had assumed this will lead to eventual shift similar to smoking.

But nobody really seems to care?

I care.

Who's scruffy lookin'?

 

[Da Guru]

Our food supply is as bad or worse because people eat it everyday.
Processed foods that people consume every day full of dyes, seed oil, trans fats, preservatives kill people, cause diabetes that kills, causes obesity. We can go down the list of what we should not consume. The food in Europe does not use all the additives. McDonalds fries in Europe have 3 ingredients, they are 20 in the states. Why?

I saw a program that showed Gatorade being made. It comes out as a clear liquid. Not blue, grape, orange, red. Then they inject all the dyes to make it look like the flavor. In fact people had a hard time telling what some of the flavors were without the color added.

 

[Mitchie]

Seems like this was known, didn't need the Surgeon General to say this. For those saying everything causes cancer, while I am a big Joe Jackson fan this isn't really true.

 

[Bob Loblaw]

So the Surgeon General is telling me to switch to weed full time????

Is hitting a pen any worse than actual flower? Asking for a friend.

Yes.

Lot's of factors at play. Is it flavored distillate? (if so...get rid of it)

The ideal scenario for using a pen is to look for cartridges that have solventless rosin or live resin (avoid any flavoring) and to use the pen at the lowest temperature setting.

Thanks for the info. I'll double-check the resin-type of cartridges I buy. My battery doesn't have buttons or temperature settings. Just pull.

I want to use flower, but the pen for my home-life is so much easier and discreet. I'll direct any further questions I have to the pot smokers thread.

 

[urbanhack]

So the Surgeon General is telling me to switch to weed full time????

Is hitting a pen any worse than actual flower? Asking for a friend.

Yes.

Lot's of factors at play. Is it flavored distillate? (if so...get rid of it)

The ideal scenario for using a pen is to look for cartridges that have solventless rosin or live resin (avoid any flavoring) and to use the pen at the lowest temperature setting.

Thanks for the info. I'll double-check the resin-type of cartridges I buy. My battery doesn't have buttons or temperature settings. Just pull.

I want to use flower, but the pen for my home-life is so much easier and discreet. I'll direct any further questions I have to the pot smokers thread.

where do you live?

 

[Mrs. Rannous]

Seems like this was known, didn't need the Surgeon General to say this. For those saying everything causes cancer, while I am a big Joe Jackson fan this isn't really true.

That's definitely not what I'm saying. But if you label everything that way, people just stop seeing the warnings that actually matter. There's no scale for this stuff. It's all hair on fire stuff.

 

[MAC_32]

I'm glad we're all so blase about it.

Will this affect your intake of alcohol?

No. Everything we eat or drink that is not natural likely causes cancer. They could put this label on nearly everything.

I lost track of how many times over the holidays I politely declined food offerings that were bad for me. I certainly didn't say no to everything, but a whole lot more than not. We had a taco bar for new year's and the jeers I got for opting against shells while predictable were loud.

I choose to drink my bad decisions

 

[Cowboysfan8]

Funny how they can figure out everything that causes cancer, but they just can’t seem to figure out a way to cure it

 

[IvanKaramazov]

Seems like this was known, didn't need the Surgeon General to say this. For those saying everything causes cancer, while I am a big Joe Jackson fan this isn't really true.

That's definitely not what I'm saying. But if you label everything that way, people just stop seeing the warnings that actually matter. There's no scale for this stuff. It's all hair on fire stuff.

Yes. People tune this stuff out when they see it as perfunctory.

It's like if you go to WebMD to check out some symptom you're experiencing, and WebMD tells you that it might be cancer. Does that worry you? No, of course not, because WebMD tells everybody that everything could be cancer, because otherwise they would get sued by the guy who slept on brain cancer after they told him that his headache was probably just dehydration. But it make source less useful because the information it provides is no longer as good.