Health Matters With TSET: Alcohol And Cancer

The U.S. Surgeon General said in a report this month that alcoholic beverages should come with a warning label for cancer.

It comes as some people are kicking off the new year with Dry January in an effort to cut back on alcohol.

In this week’s Health Matters with TSET, Amy Slanchik looks at some popular mocktails that can help make that goal attainable.

At Nola's, the flavors of New Orleans are enjoyed in Oklahoma, and that doesn't stop with a nonalcoholic drink.

The menu features six mocktails with creative names and thoughtful ingredients like honey and ginger. 

"We're going for something that's approachable and accessible, of course, for people who don't drink, but also brings the same quality that you'd expect from the signature cocktails that have alcohol in them,” Nola’s Bar Manager Ben Walker said.

One of the zero-proof cocktails on the menu was made with someone in mind.

"We've got a server named Haley who quit drinking a couple years ago and we did kind of a cultural reset behind her whenever she got sober,” Walker said. “And made a signature mocktail in her honor called the Haley's Comet. So we have a sequel to that on the menu now."

Nola's has offered zero-proof cocktails for about four years, and Walker said they have grown in popularity.

"Whether it's people trying to save money or live healthier or both, it seems like it's getting more popular all the time to go for the mocktails,” Walker said.

Dr. Mark Doescher with OU Health said alcohol is the third leading cause of cancer risk in the U.S., after tobacco and obesity.

"Most adults drink. But minimizing the consumption of alcohol does help in terms of reducing cancer risk,” Doescher said.

Doescher said there are at least seven types of cancers that are related to alcohol, most involving the digestive system, but also points to an increase in breast cancer risk.

BY THE NUMBERS:

In a woman's lifetime, she has about an 11% chance of getting breast cancer.

One drink a week increases that chance to 13%.

One drink a day increases those chances to 15%.

(Source: The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory, 2025)

In the report, Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy recommends adding a cancer risk warning to alcoholic beverages. The current statement required on alcohol sold in the U.S. has been the same since 1988. It warns of the risk of drinking while pregnant and while driving or operating machinery. The labels also say alcohol "may cause health problems."

It would take an act of Congress to change the labels.

"If anything, it's motivation to make nonalcoholic offerings something that we emphasize a little bit more just so that we at least are able to keep that business and stay somewhat ethical about what we're doing,” Walker said.

For those not wanting to make an abrupt lifestyle change, Dr. Doescher said even cutting back can help.

"The report that was issued by the surgeon general highlights that just one drink per week increases cancer risk. Drinking alcohol every day increases it further, and heavy drinking beyond that increases it further still. So it's dose-dependent,” Doescher said.

With more bars, breweries and liquor stores offering nonalcoholic options, it is more accessible than ever to cheers with something different.

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