Calls for enactment and strengthening of the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015
The Irish Cancer Society has today highlighted the link between alcohol and breast cancer and called for politicians to implement the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015 without delay.
Donal Buggy, Head of Services and Advocacy, at the Irish Cancer Society said: “There is widespread scientific evidence of the link between alcohol and breast cancer, but little public awareness of it. In 2013, in Ireland 12% of breast cancers were caused by alcohol – that’s 353 cases a year. In the same year 69 women died from a breast cancer caused by alcohol.”
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The Public Health Alcohol Bill contains:
Health labelling of alcohol products;
Minimum unit pricing for retailing of alcohol products;
Regulation of marketing and advertising of alcohol;
Enforcement powers for Environmental Health Officers.
Donal Buggy says: “As a member of the Alcohol Health Alliance (AHA), we welcome this hugely important public health legislation, but we are asking the Bill to go further in its labelling provisions and for a specific warning on alcohol products that highlight the link between alcohol and fatal cancers. Amendments will be tabled on this today.”
Mr. Buggy said: “People are simply not aware of the cancer risk associated with drinking alcohol and we need to ensure they are presented with the facts. For every one standard drink a day you drink there is a 7% increase in breast cancer. If you drink 3-6 standards drinks a day you increase the risk by 41%.
“The message is to drink less. Of the 900 new cancers each year related to alcohol, half of them could be prevented if people drank within the Department of Health’s guidelines. We know from experience in the fight against tobacco that public health legislation like the smoking ban works and that is why it is so important this Bill is enacted as soon as possible.”
This October the Irish Cancer Society is asking you to Paint it Pink! Host a pink coffee morning or event in October and join the fight against breast cancer. Money raised will help provide services to support people through their cancer journey and also fund vital cancer research.
Visit www.paintitpink.ie or call 1850 60 60 60 for fundraising ideas and information on breast cancer. You can also donate by texting Pink to 50300 to give €4 to the Irish Cancer Society. All €4 goes to the Society unless a provider applies VAT when a minimum of €3.25 will go to the Society. Service provided by Likecharity 01-4433890.
