Awareness week on alcohol related harm
#AlcoholRightToKnow
Nov 28th – Dec 2nd 2022
Check all latest #AlcoholRightToKnow
What’s AWARH?
The Awareness Week on Alcohol Related Harm 2022 (AWARH22) will turn policymakers’ attention to Europe’s devastating level of alcohol harm in the week beginning Monday November 28th.
Two people a minute die in Europe because of the region’s uniquely high level of alcohol consumption, while millions more suffer ill-health, violence, injury, job loss, and countless other harms. During the main week of AWARH22 we will remind policymakers of the facts. And, in the week following, we will offer three recommendations.
MPs, MEPs and other policymakers the campaign reaches will have no excuse for failing to safeguard citizens from alcohol harm. We warmly encourage you to ensure as many as possible get the message by following us on Twitter, and our other socials, and spreading the word. The facts and policy solutions for alcohol harm need to be heard loud and clear.
Thank you for your attention. We look forward to bringing you a successful and engaging campaign. Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions or suggestions.
The facts we all should know
FACT #1
Did you know alcohol does not benefit heart health?
No randomised control trial has ever shown alcohol conferring any benefit to the heart. The belief that it does has been firmly refuted by the World Heart Federation. Alcohol can damage heart muscle and it increases blood pressure contributing to heart disease and stroke.
Show me the science
The impact of alcohol on cardiovascular health: Myths and measures, World Heart Federation, January 2022 https://world-heart-federation.org/wp-content/uploads/WHF-Policy-Brief-Alcohol.pdf
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FACT #2
Did you know alcohol is one of the highest-level carcinogens?
Alcohol is a group 1 carcinogen, the same category as tobacco and asbestos as a cancer-causing agent. It causes at least seven types of cancer with the risk increasing in line with alcohol exposure, with heavy drinkers running up to five times the risk of non-drinkers and even low levels of alcohol consumption bring significant risk.
Show me the science
WHO, International Agency for Research on Cancer
https://monographs.iarc.who.int/agents-classified-by-the-iarc/
Cao Y, Willett WC, Rimm EB, Stampfer MJ, Giovannucci EL. Light to moderate intake of alcohol, drinking patterns, and risk of cancer: results from two prospective US cohort studies. BMJ. 2015 Aug 18;351:h4238. doi: 10.1136/bmj.h4238. PMID: 26286216; PMCID: PMC4540790.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26286216/
Bagnardi V, Rota M, Botteri E, Tramacere I, Islami F, Fedirko V, Scotti L, Jenab M, Turati F, Pasquali E, Pelucchi C, Galeone C, Bellocco R, Negri E, Corrao G, Boffetta P, La Vecchia C. Alcohol consumption and site-specific cancer risk: a comprehensive dose-response meta-analysis. Br J Cancer. 2015 Feb 3;112(3):580-93. doi: 10.1038/bjc.2014.579. Epub 2014 Nov 25. PMID: 25422909; PMCID: PMC4453639.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25422909/
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FACT #3
Did you know alcohol can cause breast cancer?
Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer type in the WHO European Region, with more than 1,500 women diagnosed every day. Alcohol consumption is one of the major modifiable risk factors for the disease, causing seven of every 100 new breast cancer cases in the region. Low-level drinkers run a slightly higher risk of breast cancer, while heavy drinkers have a 60% higher risk.
Show me the science
Alcohol is one of the biggest risk factors for breast cancer, World Health Organization, October 2021
https://www.who.int/europe/news/item/20-10-2021-alcohol-is-one-of-the-biggest-risk-factors-for-breast-cancer
Bagnardi V, Rota M, Botteri E, Tramacere I, Islami F, Fedirko V, Scotti L, Jenab M, Turati F, Pasquali E, Pelucchi C, Galeone C, Bellocco R, Negri E, Corrao G, Boffetta P, La Vecchia C. Alcohol consumption and site-specific cancer risk: a comprehensive dose-response meta-analysis. Br J Cancer. 2015 Feb 3;112(3):580-93. doi: 10.1038/bjc.2014.579. Epub 2014 Nov 25. PMID: 25422909; PMCID: PMC4453639.
https://doi.org/10.1038/bjc.2014.579
Buykx, P., Li, J., Gavens, L. et al. Public awareness of the link between alcohol and cancer in England in 2015: a population-based survey. BMC Public Health 16, 1194 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-016-3855-6
Tamimi Rm, Spiegelman D, Smith-Warner SA, Wang M, Pazaris M et al. Population attributable risk of modifiable and nonmodifiable breast cancer risk factors in postmenopausal breast cancer. Am J Epidemiol. 2016; 184(12):884-93. Available from:
https://doi.org/10.1093/aje/kww145
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1. The European citizen has the right to know
Citizens have a right to know the risks a product poses to their health and wellbeing. This information should be ON alcohol product labels.
2. The European citizen must be informed about the hidden dangers of alcohol
Alcohol has wide-ranging impacts, many of them deliberately concealed. European citizens have a right to be informed about them.
3. There is a conflict between the alcohol industry’s interests and public health policy interests
EU policymakers, when dealing with the alcohol industry or those working to further its interests, should be accountable and transparent.
The Partners
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This campaign was produced with the support of WHO/Europe
