Alcohol consumption frequency and cancer risk perception among drinkers

Alcohol is a well-established, causal risk factor for multiple cancers, yet gaps remain in understanding how drinkers perceive this risk, particularly amid evolving public health guidance. This study examines drinkers' perceptions of alcohol-related cancer risk, identifies factors associated with risk perception, and investigates the association between perception and frequency of alcohol consumption.

Data were utilized from the 2024 and 2025 waves of the CAMH Monitor study, a repeated web-based cross-sectional survey of adults aged 18 and older. Analyses were restricted to respondents who reported consuming alcohol in the past 12 months (n = 3,085, 50.8% female). Data were analyzed using multivariate multinomial and ordinal logistic regression models. Models were adjusted for sociodemographic and behavioral characteristics.

In 2024/2025, about 13.3% of drinkers' somewhat or strongly disagreed about alcohol-related cancer risk, whereas 19.7% indicated that they "don't know" about the risk. People who consumed alcohol and smoked cigarettes were nearly twice as likely to disagree that alcohol-related cancer risk, compared with drinkers who did not smoke (RRR = 1.98, 95% CI: 1.32, 2.98). Drinkers who used cannabis were less likely to disagree about alcohol-related cancer risk than those who did not use cannabis (RRR = 0.54, 95% CI: 0.38, 0.76). Uncertainty or unawareness about the alcohol-related cancer risk was also associated with increased drinking frequency.

Divergent risk perception among drinkers who smoke or use cannabis underscores the uneven reach of existing public health messaging, emphasizing the need for targeted campaigns to build both awareness and acceptance of the alcohol-cancer link.