Many people use the new year as a restart and will set new goals and make New Year's resolutions. Dry January, Damp January and being Sober Curious have become a popular way to begin the year. A new Advisory issued by the U.S. Surgeon General may increase the number of individuals interested in limiting or completely stopping their alcohol use.
ARGYLE, Texas, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Many people use the new year as a restart and will set new goals and make New Year's resolutions. Dry January, Damp January and being Sober Curious have become a popular way to begin the year. A new Advisory issued by the U.S. Surgeon General may increase the number of individuals interested in limiting or completely stopping their alcohol use. The Advisory states, with scientific evidence, that there is a causal link between alcohol consumption and an increased risk for at least seven different type of cancers and that alcohol is a leading preventable cause of cancer in the United States.¹
Facts in Advisory:
- Alcohol use is the third leading preventable cause of cancer in the United States, after tobacco and obesity. It contributes to nearly 100,000 cancer cases and about 20,000 cancer deaths each year.
- There is a causal relationship between alcohol use and the increased risk for at least seven different types of cancers, including: breast (in women), colorectum, esophagus, liver, mouth (oral cavity), throat (pharynx), and voice box (larynx).
- Less than half of Americans are aware that alcohol use increases cancer risk.
- Suggested preventative action includes: updating the existing Surgeon General's health warning label on alcohol-containing beverages to include a warning about the risk of cancer tied to alcohol use, reassessing the recommended limit for alcohol use and to inform patients in clinical setting about the link between increased cancer risk with alcohol consumption.¹
Becoming aware of the increased risk of cancer will be another reason for individuals to look into their drinking habits. Many have started Dry January, which is making a commitment to not drink any alcohol for the 31 days in the month. Damp January has also become popular and it is setting a goal to decrease drinking by a certain amount and committing to do so for the month. It is a way to commit to reducing alcohol intake for those who aren't interested in abstaining completely for the month. Being Sober Curious can factor into either of these as it is a way for someone to question and be curious about their impulses, invitations and expectations to drink.
"Alcohol use is the most common type of substance use disorder in the United States. As individuals look at ways to stop drinking alcohol, they may find they are unable to maintain sobriety on their own, which serves as an indication to seek professional help. We have treated alcohol dependence and other substance use disorders for 29 years, and if we aren't the right fit for an individual, we will help them find a place that is," stated Santé CEO Sam Slaton, MEd, LPC-S, MBA, MHSM.
For more information on Santé and how help those with alcohol dependence and addiction, click here.
About Santé Center for Healing: For 29 years now, Santé has been fearlessly furthering a world where lives are defined by recovery, not by addiction. Why? Left untreated, addiction is a fatal disease. 1 in 3 families are directly impacted by substance use disorder, and often for generations. Santé's mission is to provide the resources for long-term recovery through an integrated clinical and medical continuum of care individualized to each unique person and family we have the pleasure to serve. For more information, visit www.santecenter.com.
1. Alcohol and Cancer Risk: The U.S. Surgeon General's Advisory; 2025; https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/oash-alcohol-cancer-risk.pdf
Media Contact
Hollie Higgins, Santé Center for Healing, 1 940.368.8824, [email protected], https://www.santecenter.com/
SOURCE Santé Center for Healing
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