It is World Cancer Day today.
Mouth Head and Neck Cancer is the sixth most common cancer worldwide. Over 700 cases are diagnosed every year in Ireland, with this number gradually increasing in recent years. Prevention of it is helped by having a healthy lifestyle.
The World Health Organization recently stated that even though alcohol affects health, awareness about the health risks of consuming alcohol remains quite low, including cancer risks associated with its use. There is a lot of debate about health information labelling being made available on alcohol products. Figures around the per capita alcohol consumption in Ireland show that there is still much to do in reducing this unhealthy lifestyle choice. With one in two of us at risk of developing cancer over our lifetime, surely being made aware of one of the main risk factors can only be a good thing.
Yours faithfully,
Etain Kett
Public Affairs & Communications Manager
Dental Health Foundation Ireland
Dublin 18
This letter was published in the Irish Indepedent, Saturday 4th February 2023 'Message around risks of alcohol must be spread'