Latest news with #warninglabels
CBC
12-07-2025
- Health
- CBC
Antigonish craft brewery testing health warning labels on beer cans
Most people are familiar with the warning labels on cigarette packages. But a project in Antigonish, N.S., is piloting how similar labels could work for alcoholic beverages. In hopes of increasing awareness of the health risks associated with alcohol consumption, a researcher at St. Francis Xavier University has teamed up with a local craft brewery to test warning labels on beer cans. Kara Thompson, research chair in substance use policy and prevention at St. FX, is leading the labelling project in collaboration with Candid Brewing Company in Antigonish. "This is the last stage of the project where we're actually implementing them in a real-world setting and seeing how consumers, whether consumers notice them, how they understand them and how they use them when they're purchasing and consuming alcohol," Thompson told Information Morning Nova Scotia host Portia Clark. The labels, rolling out on select Candid products over the next several months, inform consumers of the number of standard drinks per container and alcohol's connection to cancer. They also include information on Canada's new national guidance on alcohol and health, which says three to six drinks a week increases the risk of developing certain cancers, including colorectal and breast cancer, and more than seven drinks a week also increases the risk of heart disease and stroke. Bryan Druhan, co-owner of Candid Brewing, said he was intrigued to be part of a project breaking new ground in Nova Scotia. "It's an interesting first step," he told Information Morning Nova Scotia. "It's nice to be out ahead of it. It's certainly happened in other jurisdictions, so having a chance to be in collaboration and have some input was, I think, valuable so we were happy to jump at the opportunity." Druhan said he views the labels as being important to help consumers make informed decisions. "I think, you know, consumers are smart," he said. "They make choices every day, whether it's about alcohol or other products they are buying. So we just looked at it as an opportunity to give our consumers more information." The pilot will monitor the reaction of consumers who were initially recruited and surveyed as part of data collection prior to the launch of the labels, Thompson said. "The labels will launch for the next four months or so and then we'll follow up with those same people to assess things like has their knowledge of the link between alcohol and cancer changed, is their understanding of a standard drink better, have they noticed the label and talked about the label with peers." Thompson said information in Nova Scotia about the health risks of alcohol is sorely lacking. "We haven't done a very good job in this province about communicating anything about alcohol and alcohol-related risks," she said. "Less than 50 per cent of Atlantic Canadians are even aware that alcohol and cancer are linked or that alcohol is a carcinogen." She said the provincial government should take more of an initiative in educating the public about Canada's drinking guidelines, pointing to provinces such as New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island that have launched wide-scale public health campaigns.
Irish Times
27-06-2025
- Health
- Irish Times
Alcohol labels fool nobody
Sir, – The logic behind placing warning labels on bottles of alcohol seems to be that the product can cause health and other problems and, therefore, people must be told. Apart from the fact that this is condescending – people already know that – it is unwise to take the same approach to alcohol as has been adopted towards tobacco. Alcohol only causes problems in excess, while most people use it in moderation. Last Saturday, for example, in the Drinks section of The Irish Times, there was an article headlined 'Wine shops moonlighting as bars are saving the neighbourhood'. On the opposite page were the four recommended tipples of the week. READ MORE Should that, too, be banned as it encourages dangerous behaviour? There is no evidence that warning labels will have any effect, in particular on problem drinkers. Labelling a bottle of wine 'This could kill you' is an irrelevant message for most people and will be regarded as laughable and therefore ignored. The obvious measure to take is to properly fund addiction treatment and services. That takes time, money and political will. Slapping warning labels on bottles is an exercise in 'Something must be seen to be done. Here is something'. – Yours, etc, DAVE SLATER, Co Kildare.
Bloomberg
23-06-2025
- Health
- Bloomberg
Texas Law Requiring Warnings on Some Foods Signed by Governor
Texas legislation that will require warning labels on food and beverages such as M&Ms, Cinnamon Toast Crunch and Fanta will become law after Governor Greg Abbott signed the initiative. Abbott signed Senate Bill 25 on Sunday night — a victory for Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s 'Make America Healthy Again' movement, which is looking to remove ingredients such as synthetic dyes from the nation's food supply.
The Verge
13-06-2025
- Business
- The Verge
Minnesota passes mental health warning label mandate for social media.
Platforms could soon have to display tobacco-like warning labels, and include links to mental health resources. It's a concept former Surgeon General Vivek Murthy pushed for on the federal level and that many states backed. It heads to Gov. Tim Walz (D), but VP of litigation Kathleen Farley at tech industry group Chamber of Progress warns signing it would enact 'a clear First Amendment violation, and Minnesota would waste millions defending it in court.'
The Independent
04-06-2025
- Business
- The Independent
The new warning labels Doritos and Skittles could carry in Texas
A new bill in Texas could require warning labels on snacks containing over 40 ingredients deemed unsafe in other countries but allowed in the U.S., potentially affecting popular items like Doritos, Skittles, and certain cereals. The proposed legislation targets ingredients such as synthetic food dyes and bleached flour, with warning labels set to appear on product packaging starting in 2027 if the bill becomes law. Governor Greg Abbott has less than 20 days to sign the bill, but his stance remains unclear, though he has pledged to ensure Texans have access to healthy foods. Industry groups, including food manufacturers and Walmart, have voiced strong opposition to the bill, arguing it could destabilize local economies and increase prices. If signed, the bill would not require labeling if the FDA or Department of Agriculture deems an ingredient safe, restricts its use, or bans it after September 1; Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is reportedly a supporter of the bill.
