To the editor: Sure, a most cancers warning label on alcohol could be a good suggestion. (“Why the U.S. surgeon general wants cancer warning labels on alcoholic drinks,” Jan. 3)
But when we need to severely tackle the entire harm attributable to ingesting, it will be a fair higher concept to cease permitting the promoting of alcohol. There will probably be large opposition to this concept, however past the doable cancer-causing results, take into account additionally the social and authorized issues attributed to alcohol consumption.
We tried outlawing alcohol fully, and that didn’t work. However have a look at what occurred with smoking when tobacco promoting was considerably curtailed: Deaths from lung most cancers dropped dramatically.
Individuals will proceed to drink alcohol, however why enable persuasive promoting to drive excessive ranges of consumption and the entire ensuing issues equivalent to drunk driving?
Peter Marquard, Northridge
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To the editor: As an advocate for protecting public well being coverage, I applaud U.S. Surgeon Gen. Dr. Vivek Murthy’s succinct advisory on most cancers threat.
I need to emphasize the significance of overhauling the federal alcohol warning label. It was established a era in the past and doesn’t adhere to any of the accepted gold requirements of efficient well being communication, together with:
- Clear and legible typeface.
- Colours and graphical components.
- Revolving advisories to forestall “warning fatigue.”
Furthermore, the present statute prohibits states from requiring warning labels extra strident, in content material or type, than the federal one. This overrides the desire of California voters as expressed in Proposition 65, and is why we see most cancers warning stickers utilized to flip-flops and flat-pack furnishings, however by no means liquor bottles.
My group Alcohol Justice is looking on California’s congressional delegation to spearhead laws revising the federal warning label and eradicating preemption of stricter state necessities. This might not solely present life-saving data to our residents, but in addition advance the evidence-based public well being practices on which California has lengthy been a frontrunner.
Carson Benowitz-Fredericks, San Rafael
The author is analysis director for Alcohol Justice.
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To the editor: Whereas folding up my card desk not too long ago, I observed a sticker on the underside stating that the desk contained supplies recognized to the federal government to trigger most cancers.
I shall heretofore ignore all notices about substances that will trigger most cancers. Cease crying wolf.
John Reeve, West Hills
