EVEN A BEER? –
Nov. 7, 2025 – Alcohol is a risk factor for liver cancer and cancers of the mouth, throat, and esophagus in smokers, as well as colon, rectal, and breast cancer for women. Only 37 percent of adults knew that alcohol increases the risk of cancer, with 53 percent claiming they didn’t know whether alcohol increases the risk of cancer.
”The public should know that the risk of cancer increases with the amount of alcohol consumed,” Platz said. ”There are ways to reduce the risk of cancer caused by alcohol drinking. One is never drinking alcohol.”
The market for non-alcoholic beer, wine, and spirits is booming, according to sustainalytics.com, which found the market grew to some $20 billion in 2023 and is projected to expand by another $4 billion by 2028.
The rise in alcohol-free beverages reflects a broader change, according to Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Department of Mental Health associate professor Johannes Thrul.
“More people want the social experience without the physiological downsides of alcohol,” Thrul said at the virtual press conference this week. “We should encourage and support drinking reduction, and we need social environments that make not drinking as easy and as accepted as drinking.”
He added that clear communication is needed to make sure consumers know the risks and make informed decisions about drinking alcohol.
