Alaska introduces cancer warnings to bars and liquor stores
Alaska will become the first US state to introduce signage with health warnings linking excessive alcohol consumption to colon and breast cancer.
The new legal requirement goes into effect from 1 August and was allowed by Governor Mike Dunleavy without need of his signature after it received a unanimous vote in the state senate.
Similar legislation was approved by the House last year, but Governor Dunleavy did not give it his seal of approval as the agreement came after the deadline, as reported by Anchorage Daily News.
Tweeting on Monday about the new legislation, Andrew Gray, a Democrat Representative with a background in healthcare and one of the driving forces behind the bill, said: “Thankful that Gov. Dunleavy allowed Sen. Merrick’s SB 15 to become law over the weekend. This means all points-of-sale of alcohol will have to post the warning: ‘ALCOHOL USE CAN CAUSE CANCER, INCLUDING BREAST AND COLON CANCERS’. This is my provision that will save lives.”
He then shared the following image of what the health warning signs in premises selling alcohol will look like:
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The signs themselves must be at least 14 inches (35.6cm) by 11 inches (28cm) and be “conspicuous” to visitors.
The health warnings are part of Senate Bill 15, which also relates to the sale of alcohol, with it now allowed for employees in the on-trade to under the age of 21 to serve alcohol, but under supervision so that they are not able to consume it.
Although this is a first for the US, health warnings relating to drinks are becoming something of a global phenomenon. They appeared on packaging in Chile last year, much to the chagrin of the country’s wine industry, and are due to become a legal requirement in Ireland from next year, much to the chagrin of Italy’s wine industry.
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