DRINKING JOINS SMOKING AS CANCER RISK
Along with smoking and chronic infections, alcohol consumption is an important cause of several types of cancer, researchers said on Monday.
Ref. https://www.cnn.com/2006/HEALTH/01/30/healt...reut/index.html
While reading this article, it reminded me of the literature I read when my wife and I were having our son. It talked about how the risk of SIDS increased for infants who slept on their stomachs, yet there was no direct link or proof that stomach-sleeping caused SIDS. The same is true here. The article talks about the risk of cancer increasing for those who drink, but there doesn't seem to be a direct link.
Mind you I am not condoning increased alcohol consumption, because I believe it is best done under moderation, and I understand the other direct problems that can result from it like liver damage, etc. However, this type of study almost seems to be a way to scare people into drinking less, or abstaining altogether. I must say that I am also not a scientist, so my opinions may be misdirected and unfounded, but it's my opinion nonetheless, and that was the general feeling I got while reading the article. I would say in conclusion that smoking is a definite cancer risk; it has been proven to directly affect the lungs, and is the #1 cause of lung cancer. Drinking may indirectly aid the formation of cancer cells because the bodies' immune system is broken down, but putting it in the same risk category as smoking, in my opinion, may be somewhat of a reach.