If I stop drinking does that decrease risk of cancer?

chrischryse@lemmy.world to No Stupid Questions@lemmy.world – 83 points –

I’ve been drinking for 7 years. Typicall I’ve only drank 3-4 drinks a year. If I stop drinking now, would that help decrease chances of cancer? If it does will it take a long time?

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3-4 drinks per year won't affect your cancer risk. Unless you've been drinking radium or something.

That’s completely wrong. There’s no safe level of alcohol intake:

https://www.who.int/europe/news/item/04-01-2023-no-level-of-alcohol-consumption-is-safe-for-our-health

https://time.com/6248439/no-safe-amount-of-alcohol/

Edit: from the articles, in case you don’t have time to read them:

“We cannot talk about a so-called safe level of alcohol use. It doesn’t matter how much you drink—the risk to the drinker’s health starts from the first drop of any alcoholic beverage

No safe level of sunlight by the same logic.

Oh come on, you don't have to drink. Drinking is a choice and an easily avoidable health risk.

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As a non-drinker who has seen the ravages of alcohol abuse in several loved ones, I completely understand the "no level is safe" guideline.

That said, 3-4 drinks per year is far below any measure of alcohol use that is seriously studied, where researchers look at drinking at the "amount per week" level. 3-4 drinks per year is essentially on the level of being a non-drinker.

Technically yes, but 3-4 drinks per year is such a small amount it's going to make a negligible difference.

Yep, it's like saying that drinking communion wine at church is a risky amount of alcohol.

Yeah, when everyone knows it’s really religion that’s cancerous.

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Change of risk for 3 drinks a year is unnoticeable. You can't tell it from normal noise.

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