Sip With Caution: Should Alcohol Bottles Come With Warning Labels? Experts Weigh In

Tobacco causes cancer! Tobacco is injurious to health! These are the mandatory warning labels on every cigarette packet in India. Should similar health warnings be placed on alcohol bottles as well, given that the World Health Organization has classified alcohol as a Group 1 carcinogen?

This debate has arisen after a 24-year-old Pune-based activist filed a public interest litigation in the Bombay High Court. The PIL argues that the absence of cancer warnings on alcohol bottles adds to the health risks associated with alcohol consumption and that "consumers have the right to know" about its dangers. In January, the high court sought responses from the Centre, the Maharashtra government and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India on the matter.

Experts, while speaking to NDTV Profit in a televised interaction on Tuesday, weighed in on the issue.

"Alcohol is injurious to health. Just as there is a statutory warning on smoking, I believe it is appropriate to have a similar warning on alcohol bottles," said Dr Arvinder Soin, chairman and chief surgeon of Medanta Liver Institutes.

Globally, some countries already have such warnings in place. Since 2016, South Korea has mandated a warning label about the risk of liver cancer on alcohol products. Ireland has also introduced mandatory warning labels on alcohol packaging, specifically highlighting the risk of liver diseases, with the law set to come into effect in 2026.

Soin emphasised that it is the responsibility of a country's healthcare system and the state to promote positive health behaviors. "Avoiding alcohol consumption is one such positive health behavior that should be promoted. I firmly hold that view," he stated.

Health influencer Revant Himatsingka, popularly known as 'Foodpharmer', echoed similar sentiments. "In my opinion, there should definitely be a warning label. There is no valid argument against having one," he said.

Himatsingka also pointed out that such a label would only benefit consumers without causing any harm. "In addition to a warning label, bottles should also specify the number of calories they contain," he added.

However, Vinod Giri, director general of the Brewers Association of India, clarified that alcohol products in India already carry a statutory warning that reads, "Consumption of alcohol is injurious to health." He suggested that a distinction should be made between moderate and excessive alcohol consumption.

Per capita alcohol consumption varies greatly across the world. According to the WHO Global Status Report On Alcohol And Health And Treatment, 2024, the highest per capita alcohol consumption is found in France, with 11.3 liters, closely followed by the UK at 10.8 liters, and the USA at 9.6 liters. In contrast, India has a relatively lower consumption rate of 4.9 liters.

"The day the FSSAI, after reviewing all available data, decides on further warnings, the industry will comply," Giri stated. "I am confident that regulatory authorities like the FSSAI will base their recommendations on solid scientific evidence," he added, commenting on the PIL in which the Bombay High Court has sought responses from the concerned authorities.

"Form the industry side, we always encourage that the people should enjoy alcohol responsibly and they should not indulge into the excessive consumption of alcohol," Giri said.

Medically, there is irrefutable evidence that excessive alcohol can actually lead to several health problems, said Soin, stressing that "no amount of alcohol is safe."

"Its clear that it causes liver disease, pancreatic disease, and can cause brain disease, heart disease and cancer," he said.

"It causes liver cancer for sure and it increases the incidence of all GI cancers right from the throat to esophageal and stomach and colorectal cancer. There has been an increase incidence of breast cancer as well," he said.