According to the Foundation for Alcohol Research Education (FARE), less than half of Canberrans are aware of the link between alcohol use and colon cancer.
That number is even lower for other cancers, with just over a quarter of Canberrans aware of the links between alcohol use and cancers of the breast, head and neck.
“There are a lot of mixed messages about the health impacts of alcohol, and this means that many of us are unaware that alcohol is a cause of a range of cancers,” says FARE CEO Caterina Giorgi.
FARE is trying to change this, with the ACT’s first-ever campaign that aims to increase public awareness of the links between alcohol use and cancer launched this week.
Ms Giorgi said the ‘Reduce your risk’ campaign aims to increase awareness among the community and to provide information on how to reduce their risk of cancer by reducing alcohol use.
“The less you drink, the lower the risk of developing cancer in the mouth, throat, breast, liver and bowel,” she says.
The will promote the updated alcohol guidelines, which recommend Australians drink less than 10 standard drinks a week, with no more than four standard drinks on any one day.
The guidelines were introduced late last year by the National Health and Medical Research Council, replacing those from 2009.
Reduce your risk has been produced with funding from the ACT Government’s health promotion grants program.
ACT Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith said the campaign would support Canberrans to cut back on their alcohol intake.
Ms Stephen-Smith encouraged people to do more research on the campaign via the Reduce your risk website, “for more information and support to make positive lifestyle changes for themselves, their families and the community”.
For alcohol and other drugs support services, visit reduceyourrisk.org.au
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