THOUSANDS of people in the North East are drinking enough alcohol to significantly raise their risk of cancer, a new study has found.

A new campaign is now encouraging people to reduce their risk as it was also revealed more than 3,000 people in North East were diagnosed with an alcohol-related cancer between 2016-18.

Yet despite the alarming figures, only one in three North East adults are aware that alcohol can cause cancer.

The North East recorded the worst rates for alcohol deaths in England in 2020, with around 855,000 people drinking enough to significantly raise their risks of cancer.

An additional 3,145 people were diagnosed with an alcohol-related cancer between 2016-18.

Read more: North-East alcohol office Balance warning heavier drinking since Covid

The figures come as Balance, the North East Alcohol Office, and the NHS launched a major campaign in the region to warn alcohol can cause at least seven types of cancer, including breast, bowel, mouth and throat cancer.

Supported by North East local authorities including Darlington Borough Council and Durham County Council as well as Cancer Research UK, the “Alcohol Causes Cancer” campaign encourages people to cut down to reduce their risk.

Health chiefs in the region said the coronavirus pandemic exacerbated harmful alcohol consumption and urged people to take action before it’s too late.

Penny Spring, Director of Public Health at Darlington Borough Council, said: “Throughout the pandemic, many people turned to alcohol as a way of coping with the challenges of Covid-19, such as being unable to spend time with loved ones or changes in living and work circumstances.

“Yet many people do not realise the true extent of how harmful alcohol can be to your health, due to how accessible alcohol is and how normalised drinking regularly and at home has become, even before the pandemic.

The North of England also has the worst rates of incidence of alcohol related cancers in England, with 39.67 cases per 100,000 people in the North East.

Amanda Healy, Durham County Council’s Director of Public Health, added: “Many people are increasing their risk of cancers, heart disease and other medical conditions without even realising, by underestimating how many units they consume over a week.

“This has no doubt been worsened over the course of the pandemic, with many of us drinking more than we normally would.”

Sue Taylor, head of alcohol policy for Fresh and Balance, warned: “The North East saw the highest death rates from alcohol in England during 2020. And heavier drinking is storing up even more health problems, which will be seen in hospitals and communities in years to come.

“It is particularly worrying that we are seeing such high rates of drinking, especially in men and people in their 40s and 50s.”

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