3 days ago
"I was a high-functioning drinker": the silent risk few know about
A popular consumable entrenched in Australian culture may make us feel good at the time, but it's slowly destroying our health, yet the federal government's known for decades.
Reaching for a bottle of pinot or a can of tasty pale ale may come with confronting warnings (just as cigarettes do) in the near future, with experts pushing for the truth to be brought into the light.
In 1988, alcohol was revealed to be as toxic as asbestos, radiation and tobacco, and labelled a Group 1 carcinogen, according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, yet it's a widely unknown fact.
Read more from The Senior:
Cancer survivor Belinda Stark, 56, from Mornington Peninsula in Victoria, described herself as a "high-functioning heavy drinker" before becoming sober three years ago. She now wonders whether her lifestyle contributed to her diagnosis.
"I was diagnosed with breast cancer 11 years ago, and I knew there was a slight [cancer] risk, but I chose to put my head in the sand and continue to drink," the women's alcohol coach said.
"My GP, radiologists, oncologists and surgeons - not one ever asked me how much I drank or if I should stop drinking."
Ms Stark is concerned others battling cancer still aren't being warned of the dangers of drinking alcohol, or if it puts them at a higher risk of the disease returning.
"A lot of women my age treat it as a reward or an escape," she said.
"[Especially women with menopause], alcohol was like pouring gas on the fire."
Around one in three people (31per cent or 6.6 million Aussies) aged 14 and over consumed alcohol at risky levels in 2022-2023, according to the 2022-2023 National Drug Strategy Household Survey (NDSHS).
Researchers from the University of NSW are pushing the Federal Government for mandatory warning labels on all alcohol products so people can make informed choices.
University of NSW Research Officer of the Drug Policy Modelling Program, Dr Sarah Clifford, said the labels were more 'palatable' than reducing trading hours or price increases.
"People like to be able to make their own decisions and I think providing evidence on a label is a good way to enable that," she said.
Dr Clifford added that labels don't victim-blame and were accessible to everyone.
In 2019, Canada had a short-lived campaign putting cancer warning labels on alcohol, before the alcohol industry threatened to sue. At the same time, South Korea warned of liver cancer on its alcohol products.
But in a world first, Ireland pledged in 2018 it would mandate labels stating "a direct link between alcohol and fatal cancers" on all alcohol products from May 2026, according to the World Cancer Research Fund International.
This has now been delayed three years after the alcohol industry lobbied the Government and fears of increased trade tariffs with the USA, according to the Irish Post.
Cancer Institute NSW Chief Cancer Officer and CEO Professor Tracey O'Brien told The Senior it's the ethanol in alcohol that is the cancer-causing compound because when the body breaks it down, it becomes "a toxic chemical which can damage the DNA of cells".
"Drinking alcohol is linked to eight different types of cancer including breast, liver and stomach cancer and causes an estimated 5800 cancer cases in Australia each year," she said.
The other cancers linked to alcohol consumption are mouth, throat, larynx (voice box), esophagus and bowel.
Caroline Bellenger, 56, from the Gold Coast, gave up drinking 16 years ago after it nearly "destroyed" her life.
"I just partied a lot right through to my 30s," she said.
"I wouldn't have stopped drinking if there had been labels because I smoked too and I knew that was bad."
But after drinking more at home after the birth of her child, Ms Bellenger became addicted and checked into rehab. Now she has a life full of fitness, a successful business as a corporate wellness speaker, and "positive relationships".
"I've lost a father and a brother to cancer, but I never, at any point, connected alcohol to cancer," she said.
Ms Bellenger believes the younger generation are now more health-conscious and having labels could impact them.
Cancer Council Deputy Chair of Nutrition, Alcohol and Physical Activity Committee, Julia Stafford, said it's "very well established" that alcohol causes cancer and it wouldn't cost the Government much to implement warning labels.
"It's a no-brainer for governments to be working towards requiring the alcohol industry to include mandated, standardised, tested, noticeable health warning messages on alcohol products," she said.
Ms Stafford said both the alcohol and advertising industries are "largely left to write their own rules" on how alcohol is marketed, especially around sport.
"That does nothing to protect the community ... particularly young people," she said.
Many consumers of alcohol have been led to believe certain types are healthy - such as products that are low in carbs, gluten-free, have antioxidants or are low in sugar.
But as long as a drink contains the alcohol, it is considered unhealthy, according to research.
"The only people who benefit from that myth that red wine is good for you, is the alcohol industry," Ms Stafford said.
Professor O'Brien believes there is "no level of alcohol" that is completely safe and every drink consumed can increase a person's chance of getting cancer.
"There is evidence that among NSW adults aged over 45 years, the risk of developing an alcohol-related cancer increases by 10 per cent with every seven standard drinks consumed per week," she said.
Other countries have specific guides on alcohol consumption and diseases, such as Canada, which states: "3 to 6 standard drinks per week, your risk of developing several types of cancer, including breast and colon cancer, increases at this level."
The problem with Australia's National Health and Medical Research Council's guidelines, is it isn't cancer specific and all alcohol-related diseases are thrown in together.
University of NSW Drug Policy Modelling Program Senior Research Fellow Dr Claire Wilkinson said it took 16 years to get warning labels telling Australians the danger of drinking while pregnant.
"If we want to introduce a cancer warning label, we have to be aware that it occurs in this very politicised area where there's a lot of money involved, " she said.
"It's likely also to face resistance in being implemented."
The University of NSW academics said labels in Australia could take at least eight years to be approved and implemented by the government - and that is the best-case scenario.
"I think it's worth being aware of the fact that governments do receive lobbying and donation from these [alcohol] groups," Dr Clifford said.
But for all the money the Government raises from alcohol sales is just a drop in the ocean to the real cost to society.
The estimated social cost of alcohol was a whopping $66.8 billion in 2017 - 2018, which includes healthcare, crime and lost productivity, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.
But only $7.5 billion was the expected alcohol duty to be paid to the Government for 2022-23, the ATO states.
Sydney-based Feng Shui Master Jane Langof has been sober for nearly 20-years because of health reasons and its link to cancer.
"I used to go to breast cancer parties where they were raising money," she said.
"It was called Bubbles and Boobs. How ironic is that?
"They're trying to raise money for cancer, [with one of the] biggest carcinogens."
Knowing alcohol can also contribute significantly to weight gain, giving up alcohol was easy for Ms Langof.
"I'd rather eat my calories than drink them," she said.
For anyone thinking of giving up drinking but finding it hard, Ms Bellenger wants them to know what a rich life is waiting for them.
"I don't feel like I've given up anything. I feel like I've gained a lot more," she said.
Do you or someone you know have a problem with drinking?
Share your thoughts in the comments below, or send a Letter to the Editor by CLICKING HERE.
A popular consumable entrenched in Australian culture may make us feel good at the time, but it's slowly destroying our health, yet the federal government's known for decades.
Reaching for a bottle of pinot or a can of tasty pale ale may come with confronting warnings (just as cigarettes do) in the near future, with experts pushing for the truth to be brought into the light.
In 1988, alcohol was revealed to be as toxic as asbestos, radiation and tobacco, and labelled a Group 1 carcinogen, according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, yet it's a widely unknown fact.
Read more from The Senior:
Cancer survivor Belinda Stark, 56, from Mornington Peninsula in Victoria, described herself as a "high-functioning heavy drinker" before becoming sober three years ago. She now wonders whether her lifestyle contributed to her diagnosis.
"I was diagnosed with breast cancer 11 years ago, and I knew there was a slight [cancer] risk, but I chose to put my head in the sand and continue to drink," the women's alcohol coach said.
"My GP, radiologists, oncologists and surgeons - not one ever asked me how much I drank or if I should stop drinking."
Ms Stark is concerned others battling cancer still aren't being warned of the dangers of drinking alcohol, or if it puts them at a higher risk of the disease returning.
"A lot of women my age treat it as a reward or an escape," she said.
"[Especially women with menopause], alcohol was like pouring gas on the fire."
Around one in three people (31per cent or 6.6 million Aussies) aged 14 and over consumed alcohol at risky levels in 2022-2023, according to the 2022-2023 National Drug Strategy Household Survey (NDSHS).
Researchers from the University of NSW are pushing the Federal Government for mandatory warning labels on all alcohol products so people can make informed choices.
University of NSW Research Officer of the Drug Policy Modelling Program, Dr Sarah Clifford, said the labels were more 'palatable' than reducing trading hours or price increases.
"People like to be able to make their own decisions and I think providing evidence on a label is a good way to enable that," she said.
Dr Clifford added that labels don't victim-blame and were accessible to everyone.
In 2019, Canada had a short-lived campaign putting cancer warning labels on alcohol, before the alcohol industry threatened to sue. At the same time, South Korea warned of liver cancer on its alcohol products.
But in a world first, Ireland pledged in 2018 it would mandate labels stating "a direct link between alcohol and fatal cancers" on all alcohol products from May 2026, according to the World Cancer Research Fund International.
This has now been delayed three years after the alcohol industry lobbied the Government and fears of increased trade tariffs with the USA, according to the Irish Post.
Cancer Institute NSW Chief Cancer Officer and CEO Professor Tracey O'Brien told The Senior it's the ethanol in alcohol that is the cancer-causing compound because when the body breaks it down, it becomes "a toxic chemical which can damage the DNA of cells".
"Drinking alcohol is linked to eight different types of cancer including breast, liver and stomach cancer and causes an estimated 5800 cancer cases in Australia each year," she said.
The other cancers linked to alcohol consumption are mouth, throat, larynx (voice box), esophagus and bowel.
Caroline Bellenger, 56, from the Gold Coast, gave up drinking 16 years ago after it nearly "destroyed" her life.
"I just partied a lot right through to my 30s," she said.
"I wouldn't have stopped drinking if there had been labels because I smoked too and I knew that was bad."
But after drinking more at home after the birth of her child, Ms Bellenger became addicted and checked into rehab. Now she has a life full of fitness, a successful business as a corporate wellness speaker, and "positive relationships".
"I've lost a father and a brother to cancer, but I never, at any point, connected alcohol to cancer," she said.
Ms Bellenger believes the younger generation are now more health-conscious and having labels could impact them.
Cancer Council Deputy Chair of Nutrition, Alcohol and Physical Activity Committee, Julia Stafford, said it's "very well established" that alcohol causes cancer and it wouldn't cost the Government much to implement warning labels.
"It's a no-brainer for governments to be working towards requiring the alcohol industry to include mandated, standardised, tested, noticeable health warning messages on alcohol products," she said.
Ms Stafford said both the alcohol and advertising industries are "largely left to write their own rules" on how alcohol is marketed, especially around sport.
"That does nothing to protect the community ... particularly young people," she said.
Many consumers of alcohol have been led to believe certain types are healthy - such as products that are low in carbs, gluten-free, have antioxidants or are low in sugar.
But as long as a drink contains the alcohol, it is considered unhealthy, according to research.
"The only people who benefit from that myth that red wine is good for you, is the alcohol industry," Ms Stafford said.
Professor O'Brien believes there is "no level of alcohol" that is completely safe and every drink consumed can increase a person's chance of getting cancer.
"There is evidence that among NSW adults aged over 45 years, the risk of developing an alcohol-related cancer increases by 10 per cent with every seven standard drinks consumed per week," she said.
Other countries have specific guides on alcohol consumption and diseases, such as Canada, which states: "3 to 6 standard drinks per week, your risk of developing several types of cancer, including breast and colon cancer, increases at this level."
The problem with Australia's National Health and Medical Research Council's guidelines, is it isn't cancer specific and all alcohol-related diseases are thrown in together.
University of NSW Drug Policy Modelling Program Senior Research Fellow Dr Claire Wilkinson said it took 16 years to get warning labels telling Australians the danger of drinking while pregnant.
"If we want to introduce a cancer warning label, we have to be aware that it occurs in this very politicised area where there's a lot of money involved, " she said.
"It's likely also to face resistance in being implemented."
The University of NSW academics said labels in Australia could take at least eight years to be approved and implemented by the government - and that is the best-case scenario.
"I think it's worth being aware of the fact that governments do receive lobbying and donation from these [alcohol] groups," Dr Clifford said.
But for all the money the Government raises from alcohol sales is just a drop in the ocean to the real cost to society.
The estimated social cost of alcohol was a whopping $66.8 billion in 2017 - 2018, which includes healthcare, crime and lost productivity, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.
But only $7.5 billion was the expected alcohol duty to be paid to the Government for 2022-23, the ATO states.
Sydney-based Feng Shui Master Jane Langof has been sober for nearly 20-years because of health reasons and its link to cancer.
"I used to go to breast cancer parties where they were raising money," she said.
"It was called Bubbles and Boobs. How ironic is that?
"They're trying to raise money for cancer, [with one of the] biggest carcinogens."
Knowing alcohol can also contribute significantly to weight gain, giving up alcohol was easy for Ms Langof.
"I'd rather eat my calories than drink them," she said.
For anyone thinking of giving up drinking but finding it hard, Ms Bellenger wants them to know what a rich life is waiting for them.
"I don't feel like I've given up anything. I feel like I've gained a lot more," she said.
Do you or someone you know have a problem with drinking?
Share your thoughts in the comments below, or send a Letter to the Editor by CLICKING HERE.
A popular consumable entrenched in Australian culture may make us feel good at the time, but it's slowly destroying our health, yet the federal government's known for decades.
Reaching for a bottle of pinot or a can of tasty pale ale may come with confronting warnings (just as cigarettes do) in the near future, with experts pushing for the truth to be brought into the light.
In 1988, alcohol was revealed to be as toxic as asbestos, radiation and tobacco, and labelled a Group 1 carcinogen, according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, yet it's a widely unknown fact.
Read more from The Senior:
Cancer survivor Belinda Stark, 56, from Mornington Peninsula in Victoria, described herself as a "high-functioning heavy drinker" before becoming sober three years ago. She now wonders whether her lifestyle contributed to her diagnosis.
"I was diagnosed with breast cancer 11 years ago, and I knew there was a slight [cancer] risk, but I chose to put my head in the sand and continue to drink," the women's alcohol coach said.
"My GP, radiologists, oncologists and surgeons - not one ever asked me how much I drank or if I should stop drinking."
Ms Stark is concerned others battling cancer still aren't being warned of the dangers of drinking alcohol, or if it puts them at a higher risk of the disease returning.
"A lot of women my age treat it as a reward or an escape," she said.
"[Especially women with menopause], alcohol was like pouring gas on the fire."
Around one in three people (31per cent or 6.6 million Aussies) aged 14 and over consumed alcohol at risky levels in 2022-2023, according to the 2022-2023 National Drug Strategy Household Survey (NDSHS).
Researchers from the University of NSW are pushing the Federal Government for mandatory warning labels on all alcohol products so people can make informed choices.
University of NSW Research Officer of the Drug Policy Modelling Program, Dr Sarah Clifford, said the labels were more 'palatable' than reducing trading hours or price increases.
"People like to be able to make their own decisions and I think providing evidence on a label is a good way to enable that," she said.
Dr Clifford added that labels don't victim-blame and were accessible to everyone.
In 2019, Canada had a short-lived campaign putting cancer warning labels on alcohol, before the alcohol industry threatened to sue. At the same time, South Korea warned of liver cancer on its alcohol products.
But in a world first, Ireland pledged in 2018 it would mandate labels stating "a direct link between alcohol and fatal cancers" on all alcohol products from May 2026, according to the World Cancer Research Fund International.
This has now been delayed three years after the alcohol industry lobbied the Government and fears of increased trade tariffs with the USA, according to the Irish Post.
Cancer Institute NSW Chief Cancer Officer and CEO Professor Tracey O'Brien told The Senior it's the ethanol in alcohol that is the cancer-causing compound because when the body breaks it down, it becomes "a toxic chemical which can damage the DNA of cells".
"Drinking alcohol is linked to eight different types of cancer including breast, liver and stomach cancer and causes an estimated 5800 cancer cases in Australia each year," she said.
The other cancers linked to alcohol consumption are mouth, throat, larynx (voice box), esophagus and bowel.
Caroline Bellenger, 56, from the Gold Coast, gave up drinking 16 years ago after it nearly "destroyed" her life.
"I just partied a lot right through to my 30s," she said.
"I wouldn't have stopped drinking if there had been labels because I smoked too and I knew that was bad."
But after drinking more at home after the birth of her child, Ms Bellenger became addicted and checked into rehab. Now she has a life full of fitness, a successful business as a corporate wellness speaker, and "positive relationships".
"I've lost a father and a brother to cancer, but I never, at any point, connected alcohol to cancer," she said.
Ms Bellenger believes the younger generation are now more health-conscious and having labels could impact them.
Cancer Council Deputy Chair of Nutrition, Alcohol and Physical Activity Committee, Julia Stafford, said it's "very well established" that alcohol causes cancer and it wouldn't cost the Government much to implement warning labels.
"It's a no-brainer for governments to be working towards requiring the alcohol industry to include mandated, standardised, tested, noticeable health warning messages on alcohol products," she said.
Ms Stafford said both the alcohol and advertising industries are "largely left to write their own rules" on how alcohol is marketed, especially around sport.
"That does nothing to protect the community ... particularly young people," she said.
Many consumers of alcohol have been led to believe certain types are healthy - such as products that are low in carbs, gluten-free, have antioxidants or are low in sugar.
But as long as a drink contains the alcohol, it is considered unhealthy, according to research.
"The only people who benefit from that myth that red wine is good for you, is the alcohol industry," Ms Stafford said.
Professor O'Brien believes there is "no level of alcohol" that is completely safe and every drink consumed can increase a person's chance of getting cancer.
"There is evidence that among NSW adults aged over 45 years, the risk of developing an alcohol-related cancer increases by 10 per cent with every seven standard drinks consumed per week," she said.
Other countries have specific guides on alcohol consumption and diseases, such as Canada, which states: "3 to 6 standard drinks per week, your risk of developing several types of cancer, including breast and colon cancer, increases at this level."
The problem with Australia's National Health and Medical Research Council's guidelines, is it isn't cancer specific and all alcohol-related diseases are thrown in together.
University of NSW Drug Policy Modelling Program Senior Research Fellow Dr Claire Wilkinson said it took 16 years to get warning labels telling Australians the danger of drinking while pregnant.
"If we want to introduce a cancer warning label, we have to be aware that it occurs in this very politicised area where there's a lot of money involved, " she said.
"It's likely also to face resistance in being implemented."
The University of NSW academics said labels in Australia could take at least eight years to be approved and implemented by the government - and that is the best-case scenario.
"I think it's worth being aware of the fact that governments do receive lobbying and donation from these [alcohol] groups," Dr Clifford said.
But for all the money the Government raises from alcohol sales is just a drop in the ocean to the real cost to society.
The estimated social cost of alcohol was a whopping $66.8 billion in 2017 - 2018, which includes healthcare, crime and lost productivity, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.
But only $7.5 billion was the expected alcohol duty to be paid to the Government for 2022-23, the ATO states.
Sydney-based Feng Shui Master Jane Langof has been sober for nearly 20-years because of health reasons and its link to cancer.
"I used to go to breast cancer parties where they were raising money," she said.
"It was called Bubbles and Boobs. How ironic is that?
"They're trying to raise money for cancer, [with one of the] biggest carcinogens."
Knowing alcohol can also contribute significantly to weight gain, giving up alcohol was easy for Ms Langof.
"I'd rather eat my calories than drink them," she said.
For anyone thinking of giving up drinking but finding it hard, Ms Bellenger wants them to know what a rich life is waiting for them.
"I don't feel like I've given up anything. I feel like I've gained a lot more," she said.
Do you or someone you know have a problem with drinking?
Share your thoughts in the comments below, or send a Letter to the Editor by CLICKING HERE.
A popular consumable entrenched in Australian culture may make us feel good at the time, but it's slowly destroying our health, yet the federal government's known for decades.
Reaching for a bottle of pinot or a can of tasty pale ale may come with confronting warnings (just as cigarettes do) in the near future, with experts pushing for the truth to be brought into the light.
In 1988, alcohol was revealed to be as toxic as asbestos, radiation and tobacco, and labelled a Group 1 carcinogen, according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, yet it's a widely unknown fact.
Read more from The Senior:
Cancer survivor Belinda Stark, 56, from Mornington Peninsula in Victoria, described herself as a "high-functioning heavy drinker" before becoming sober three years ago. She now wonders whether her lifestyle contributed to her diagnosis.
"I was diagnosed with breast cancer 11 years ago, and I knew there was a slight [cancer] risk, but I chose to put my head in the sand and continue to drink," the women's alcohol coach said.
"My GP, radiologists, oncologists and surgeons - not one ever asked me how much I drank or if I should stop drinking."
Ms Stark is concerned others battling cancer still aren't being warned of the dangers of drinking alcohol, or if it puts them at a higher risk of the disease returning.
"A lot of women my age treat it as a reward or an escape," she said.
"[Especially women with menopause], alcohol was like pouring gas on the fire."
Around one in three people (31per cent or 6.6 million Aussies) aged 14 and over consumed alcohol at risky levels in 2022-2023, according to the 2022-2023 National Drug Strategy Household Survey (NDSHS).
Researchers from the University of NSW are pushing the Federal Government for mandatory warning labels on all alcohol products so people can make informed choices.
University of NSW Research Officer of the Drug Policy Modelling Program, Dr Sarah Clifford, said the labels were more 'palatable' than reducing trading hours or price increases.
"People like to be able to make their own decisions and I think providing evidence on a label is a good way to enable that," she said.
Dr Clifford added that labels don't victim-blame and were accessible to everyone.
In 2019, Canada had a short-lived campaign putting cancer warning labels on alcohol, before the alcohol industry threatened to sue. At the same time, South Korea warned of liver cancer on its alcohol products.
But in a world first, Ireland pledged in 2018 it would mandate labels stating "a direct link between alcohol and fatal cancers" on all alcohol products from May 2026, according to the World Cancer Research Fund International.
This has now been delayed three years after the alcohol industry lobbied the Government and fears of increased trade tariffs with the USA, according to the Irish Post.
Cancer Institute NSW Chief Cancer Officer and CEO Professor Tracey O'Brien told The Senior it's the ethanol in alcohol that is the cancer-causing compound because when the body breaks it down, it becomes "a toxic chemical which can damage the DNA of cells".
"Drinking alcohol is linked to eight different types of cancer including breast, liver and stomach cancer and causes an estimated 5800 cancer cases in Australia each year," she said.
The other cancers linked to alcohol consumption are mouth, throat, larynx (voice box), esophagus and bowel.
Caroline Bellenger, 56, from the Gold Coast, gave up drinking 16 years ago after it nearly "destroyed" her life.
"I just partied a lot right through to my 30s," she said.
"I wouldn't have stopped drinking if there had been labels because I smoked too and I knew that was bad."
But after drinking more at home after the birth of her child, Ms Bellenger became addicted and checked into rehab. Now she has a life full of fitness, a successful business as a corporate wellness speaker, and "positive relationships".
"I've lost a father and a brother to cancer, but I never, at any point, connected alcohol to cancer," she said.
Ms Bellenger believes the younger generation are now more health-conscious and having labels could impact them.
Cancer Council Deputy Chair of Nutrition, Alcohol and Physical Activity Committee, Julia Stafford, said it's "very well established" that alcohol causes cancer and it wouldn't cost the Government much to implement warning labels.
"It's a no-brainer for governments to be working towards requiring the alcohol industry to include mandated, standardised, tested, noticeable health warning messages on alcohol products," she said.
Ms Stafford said both the alcohol and advertising industries are "largely left to write their own rules" on how alcohol is marketed, especially around sport.
"That does nothing to protect the community ... particularly young people," she said.
Many consumers of alcohol have been led to believe certain types are healthy - such as products that are low in carbs, gluten-free, have antioxidants or are low in sugar.
But as long as a drink contains the alcohol, it is considered unhealthy, according to research.
"The only people who benefit from that myth that red wine is good for you, is the alcohol industry," Ms Stafford said.
Professor O'Brien believes there is "no level of alcohol" that is completely safe and every drink consumed can increase a person's chance of getting cancer.
"There is evidence that among NSW adults aged over 45 years, the risk of developing an alcohol-related cancer increases by 10 per cent with every seven standard drinks consumed per week," she said.
Other countries have specific guides on alcohol consumption and diseases, such as Canada, which states: "3 to 6 standard drinks per week, your risk of developing several types of cancer, including breast and colon cancer, increases at this level."
The problem with Australia's National Health and Medical Research Council's guidelines, is it isn't cancer specific and all alcohol-related diseases are thrown in together.
University of NSW Drug Policy Modelling Program Senior Research Fellow Dr Claire Wilkinson said it took 16 years to get warning labels telling Australians the danger of drinking while pregnant.
"If we want to introduce a cancer warning label, we have to be aware that it occurs in this very politicised area where there's a lot of money involved, " she said.
"It's likely also to face resistance in being implemented."
The University of NSW academics said labels in Australia could take at least eight years to be approved and implemented by the government - and that is the best-case scenario.
"I think it's worth being aware of the fact that governments do receive lobbying and donation from these [alcohol] groups," Dr Clifford said.
But for all the money the Government raises from alcohol sales is just a drop in the ocean to the real cost to society.
The estimated social cost of alcohol was a whopping $66.8 billion in 2017 - 2018, which includes healthcare, crime and lost productivity, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.
But only $7.5 billion was the expected alcohol duty to be paid to the Government for 2022-23, the ATO states.
Sydney-based Feng Shui Master Jane Langof has been sober for nearly 20-years because of health reasons and its link to cancer.
"I used to go to breast cancer parties where they were raising money," she said.
"It was called Bubbles and Boobs. How ironic is that?
"They're trying to raise money for cancer, [with one of the] biggest carcinogens."
Knowing alcohol can also contribute significantly to weight gain, giving up alcohol was easy for Ms Langof.
"I'd rather eat my calories than drink them," she said.
For anyone thinking of giving up drinking but finding it hard, Ms Bellenger wants them to know what a rich life is waiting for them.
"I don't feel like I've given up anything. I feel like I've gained a lot more," she said.
Do you or someone you know have a problem with drinking?
Share your thoughts in the comments below, or send a Letter to the Editor by CLICKING HERE.
