Senate debates bill to require cancer warning labels on alcohol packaging
The Canadian Cancer Society says drinking about three drinks a day could double the risk of developing cancer of the mouth, pharynx, larynx and esophagus, and increase the risk of colorectal and breast cancer by one-and-a-half times.
Brandon Purcell, the Canadian Cancer Society's advocacy manager of prevention and early detection, said research shows more than half of Canadians are unaware of alcohol's link to cancer.
"It's about the right of Canadians to know," he said.
My father in law deeply opposes this because “if they put that on the labels my wife will nag me even more about my drinking”.
I honestly don’t see the problem. If people don’t know drinking can cause cancer, the labels will provide critical health information. If they already knew it, then they’ll just ignore it and keep buying alcohol. Smokers already showed us the play book on this.
I haven’t heard a reasonable argument against labelling alcohol.
People like your father don't want to feel bad about the choices they're making, but it doesn't remove the potential risks, and people should be allowed to make informed decisions.
People who oppose this are basically saying, "I don't care if you know the truth, because I don't like the truth."
Absolutely this. A more informed public is never a bad thing.
Do it. The Western countries alienated tobacco products massively using tactics like images of graphic organ destruction on packaging.
Alcohol is just as likely to be fatal if abused. the fact that many places outlaw marijuana but not alcohol is baffling hypocrisy
They should implement childproof containers while they're at it. If cannabis has it, so should booze
Alcohol is decidedly more deadly than cannabis yet cannabis has childproof containers, ZERO advertising allowed, not even signage on storefronts promoting it, warning labels on all the packaging.
Alcohol should have all these same restrictions applied
One one hand, it'll probably be pretty effective at reducing alcohol consumption. On the other hand, it does so by making it less effective at the task of stress reduction (how can I possibly relax with a loud reminder that I'm giving myself cancer every time I have a drink?). Now if this change can be accompanied by somehow making every day life less stressful, that would be nice.
Unlikely. Warnings on cigarettes did nothing. Making smoking in public diffficult had a far greater effect.
Alcohol is horrible for you. There should be labels saying that
I got drunk once in high school, I didn’t know what I was drinking had alcohol in it. I was of the belief that the drugs I was on and my brain injury alcohol would be a no good. I have not gotten drunk since then, I have more than doubled my life experience points since than so I know this won’t affect me but I think it is a good idea.