Alison Douglas, Alcohol Focus Scotland
Did you know that even low levels of alcohol increase your risk of cancer?
Alcohol causes at least seven types of cancer – including two of the most common: breast and bowel. The more we drink, the greater the risk.
Alcohol has been classified as a Group 1 carcinogen – alongside tobacco smoke – since the 1980s. Yet decades later, most people still don’t know the facts. Shockingly, one in two Scots are unaware of the link between alcohol and cancer. Conversely many people – wrongly – believe alcohol is good for the heart.
This isn’t accidental. The alcohol industry has long downplayed the risks, avoiding transparency that might impact their profits. One simple, effective way to inform people is through health warnings on bottles and cans. But in the UK, there’s no legal requirement to include this vital information. Voluntary guidelines exist, but they are limited in scope and there’s no enforcement and no penalties if companies don’t comply.
The Scottish Government has acknowledged this issue. As far back as 2009, it committed to exploring mandatory labelling. That commitment was repeated in its 2018 Alcohol Framework and again in the 2023 Cancer Action Plan. Yet here we are in 2025, still waiting for action.
Meanwhile, alcohol-related deaths have soared, and those numbers only tell part of the story. Behind every statistic is a person, a family, a community affected by loss and long-term illness.
The Scottish Government has declared alcohol harm a public health emergency, but its actions haven’t matched the urgency of its words. It’s not just about tackling deaths; we need to confront how alcohol is promoted and perceived in our society. We’re constantly bombarded with messages that make drinking seem normal, even essential. This shapes our habits and increases our risk.
It doesn’t have to be this way.
Scotland has an opportunity to lead, with a bold new alcohol strategy that puts prevention first. That means adopting the World Health Organization’s recommendations for reducing alcohol harm, focusing on cost-effective policies that work.
This must include
- Mandatory health warnings on all alcohol products
- Strict limits on alcohol marketing and advertising
- Regular uprating the minimum unit price for alcohol
- A reformed alcohol licensing system
These aren’t radical ideas, most have already been adopted by other countries, but they would make the world of difference. Universal policies that reduce how much we drink across the population offer the best chance to improve health and wellbeing, now and for generations to come.