Letter to Dr. Vivek Murthy, nominee for U.S. Surgeon General, re: Labeling of alcoholic beverages

The Alcoholic Beverage Labeling Act of 1988 (ABLA) establishes a process for the Treasury Department’s Alcohol Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), “in consultation with the Surgeon General,” to report to Congress on the need for updates to the health warning statement on alcoholic beverages if available scientific information would justify a change.

The following presents the evidence and rationale for requiring a cancer warning on alcohol products sold in the United States, and for rotating that warning message with existing warnings on drinking while pregnant and operating machinery.