Sen. Patrick Brazeau is making a renewed effort to pass a bill that would mandate cancer warning labels on alcohol packaging. The Senate is currently reviewing Bill S-202, a reintroduction of a previous bill by Brazeau that was shelved during the last parliamentary session due to the spring election.
Brazeau’s personal struggles with alcohol have fueled his advocacy for this legislative change, citing the destructive impact of alcohol on lives and mental health, including his own battle with dark experiences. Additionally, his dedication to cancer research stems from losing his mother to the disease in 2004.
During a recent Senate committee session, Brazeau highlighted the alarming connection between alcohol consumption and seven types of deadly cancers, such as liver, colon, breast, and oral cancers. The Canadian Cancer Society warns that consuming around three drinks daily could double the risk of developing certain cancers, while also increasing the likelihood of colorectal and breast cancer.
Brandon Purcell, the Canadian Cancer Society’s advocacy manager, emphasized the importance of informing Canadians about the cancer risks associated with alcohol consumption, stressing the need for transparency and consumer protection akin to regulations imposed on tobacco products.
Jacob Shelley, an associate professor specializing in law and health studies at Western University, underscored the legal obligation for companies to disclose product risks and criticized the alcohol industry for evading this responsibility. He noted the normalization of alcohol use and the industry’s resistance to implementing warning labels, unlike other regulated products.
Anticipating opposition from alcohol companies, Brazeau pointed out the irony of non-alcoholic beer carrying consumption warnings while traditional alcoholic beverages lack such labels. He criticized the industry’s profit-driven motives, accusing them of disregarding public health concerns.
The proposed bill not only mandates cancer warning labels but also requires clear information on what constitutes a standard drink, the quantity of drinks per container, and Health Canada’s defined health risk levels. Brazeau views the cancer warning label as just the initial step, as he also supports a separate bill aiming to ban alcohol advertising to address broader health issues associated with alcohol consumption.