Unless action is taken soon, cancer deaths caused by drinking will kill 135,000 people and cost the NHS £2bn by 2035, according to a new study commissioned by Cancer Research.
The report by the University of Sheffield urges the government to put in place a minimum price-per-unit cost for alcohol in order to reduce consumption and potentially save the NHS money.
"A 50p minimum price per units of alcohol could reduce deaths linked to alcohol by around 7,200, including around 670 cancer deaths. It would also reduce healthcare costs by £1.3bn," says Cancer Research. "This follows a recent court decision in Scotland which found that a minimum unit price would not break European law."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
It says that the number of patients with oesophageal cancer, bowel cancer and liver cancer are expected to rise in the next two decades – three cancers with strong links to alcohol consumption.
Another Cancer Research study published earlier this year showed that nine of out ten people are unaware of the link between alcohol and cancer.
The government has already lowered the recommended maximum number of units for men to 14, in line with the existing limit for women. It has also suggested that there is no safe limit for alcohol consumption and that any alcohol intake can substantially increase the risk of cancer.
Sir Ian Gilmore, a professor of hepatology and chairman of the Alcohol Health Alliance, told The Guardian: "It is clear from the report that MUP [minimum unit pricing] will save lives, including those lost to cancer, and ease the burden on our health service. Importantly, MUP will do this while leaving moderate drinkers and prices in pubs and bars unaffected."
-
The plant-based portfolio diet focuses on heart healthThe Explainer Its guidelines are flexible and vegan-friendly
-
Gregory Bovino: the officer leading Border Patrol’s aggressive tacticsIn the Spotlight He has been referred to as the Border Patrol’s ‘commander-at-large’
-
Tips for surviving loneliness during the holiday season — with or without peoplethe week recommends Solitude is different from loneliness
-
Covid-19 mRNA vaccines could help fight cancerUnder the radar They boost the immune system
-
The ‘menopause gold rush’Under the Radar Women vulnerable to misinformation and marketing of ‘unregulated’ products
-
The UK’s opioid crisis: why the stats don’t add upThe Explainer A new report has revealed that the UK’s total of opioid-related deaths could be much greater than official figures show
-
Deadly fungus tied to a pharaoh's tomb may help fight cancerUnder the radar A once fearsome curse could be a blessing
-
'Poo pills' and the war on superbugsThe Explainer Antimicrobial resistance is causing millions of deaths. Could a faeces-filled pill change all that?
-
How the care industry came to rely on migrant workersThe Explainer Government crackdown on recruiting workers abroad risks deepening care sector crisis, industry leaders warn
-
Could medics' misgivings spell the end of the assisted dying bill?Today's Big Question The Royal College of Psychiatrists has identified 'serious concerns' with the landmark bill – and MPs are taking notice
-
The Y chromosome degrades over time. And men's health is paying for itUnder the radar The chromosome loss is linked to cancer and Alzheimer's
