EXCLUSIVE: Cannabis Physician Says Surgeon General's Alcohol Cancer Risk Warning Is 'Wake-Up Call'

Following Surgeon General Vivek Murthy's Friday advisory warning about cancer risks associated with alcohol consumption and calling for updates to health warning labels, Dr. Benjamin Caplan, chief medical officer at the CED Clinic in Massachusetts, Dr. Benjamin Caplan weighed in.

Caplan, a family physician with a unique focus on cannabis medicine, said Murthy's recommendations in which he cited mounting evidence of alcohol's role in cancer development are "a wake-up call."

The advisory “brings science in line with what many of us in medicine have long seen: alcohol isn't just a harmless social habit — it's a carcinogen," Caplan told Benzinga.

"For some, it's a nightly ritual; for others, a way to manage stress or sleeplessness. But the damage it leaves behind is undeniable. Alcohol isn't just a drink — it's a risk factor, woven into our culture and quietly eroding our health."

Caplan gave an example of a patient who “turned to wine to unwind" and was eventually diagnosed with colon cancer.

"Her story lingers in my mind as a reminder of how deeply alcohol is entrenched in our lives and how devastating its effects can be."

Read Also: Cannabis In 2025: Inside America’s Social, Economic, Wellness Transformation

Changing Habits

Caplan said the challenge is not just about changing habits but about reshaping how we think.

"Alcohol is normalized to the point that alternatives — like cannabis for stress or sleep — are stigmatized or dismissed," he said.

"But as a physician, my role is clear: to offer knowledge and compassion, to guide patients toward choices that protect their health. We owe it to our patients to meet them where they are but not leave them where they're at. The Surgeon General’s advisory is a step forward, a chance to save lives — if we're willing to listen and act."

Booze Stocks Tank, Cannabis Stocks Rise

As alcohol stocks drop on the Surgeon General's news, multiple cannabis stocks are on the rise for the first time in a long time.

Tilray Brands Inc. TLRY is up 1.03%, Green Thumb Industries GTBIF up 1.65%, Canopy Growth Corporation CGC up 2.84% and Sundial Growers Inc. SNDL up 1.58%. Cresco Labs Inc. CRLBF is up a healthy 3.272%.

On the other hand, the AdvisorShares Pure US Cannabis ETF MSOS, often viewed as a benchmark for multistate operators, is down 3.06%. Trulieve Cannabis Corp. TCNNF is down 5.6%.

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Photo courtesy of Dr. Ben Caplan.