Alcohol drinkers at risk of seven cancers – Health Official

Jamaicans are being urged to reduce the consumption of alcohol, as it is well-established that this is directly linked to seven cancers, such as breast, throat, liver, mouth, colorectal, oesophageal, and laryngeal.

Making the call, Director of Non-Communicable Diseases and Injuries Prevention,  Ministry of Health and Wellness, Dr Tamu Davidson, said the more individuals consume, the higher the risk, “regardless of whatever type of alcohol you consume”.

“Breast cancer, we know specifically for women, the more you consume, the higher the risk, and so this is a concern for us at the Ministry of Health and Wellness,” Dr Davidson said.

She added that the Ministry’s message is always reminding Jamaicans of the risk of alcohol consumption, noting that the World Health Organization (WHO) has indicated that there is “really no safe level of consumption of alcohol”.

“What they have been doing is discouraging the consumption of alcohol and for persons to reduce the quantity of alcohol they have been consuming, especially females, and also encouraging countries to have the necessary policies in place, to work on our policies, to support this reduction in alcohol consumption in our population,” Dr Davidson said.

She reported that the Ministry recently completed new data to assess where the island is, in terms of the status concerning alcohol use, and this will be very important moving forward with policy development.

“This is a critical component to have the most current data available to us, to help to inform any policy that we develop. Certainly, overindulgence or harmful alcohol abuse is certainly not recommended, and it is something that the Ministry has been advocating against,” Davidson said.

Alcohol abuse, she noted, has serious and detrimental long-term health effects, not only the seven cancers but also the risk of harm to self, road traffic injuries, and domestic abuse.
 
“It is important that persons reduce their alcohol intake. Drinking less, of course, is better for your health. And you can lower your risk for these health effects by drinking less,” she said.
Dr Davidson emphasised that treating the cancers can wipe out a lifetime of savings.

“These diseases cost a lot just to treat, and we want to ensure that we continue to maintain and work towards a healthy Jamaica and work together to ensure that our population can achieve their maximum productivity and continue to make Jamaica a place that you can play, work and do business,” she said.