Making it easier to buy alcohol in Ontario has sparked concerns of increased consumption that could lead to a rise in cancer rates, warns a report that comes just days before wine becomes available in dozens of grocery stores across the province. Dr. Linda Rabeneck, vice-president of prevention and cancer control at the agency, said “people don’t realize that it causes cancer, and in particular has been linked to specific cancers — cancer of the mouth, cancer of the esophagus, liver, colorectal and breast. A lot of people know that smoking is (a cause of cancer), but they don’t know that alcohol is.”The Ontario government has started privatizing alcohol sales, with some 60 grocery stores already selling beer and cider. By the end of the month, as many as 70 stores will be selling wine, beer and cider. Plans are for as many as 450 stores across the province to sell beer, with 300 of them also allowed to sell wine.

Source: thestar October 22, 2016 01:15 UTC