Defensive Reactions to the U.S. Surgeon General’s Alcohol–Cancer Advisory: A Topic Modeling Study of TikTok Comments

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The January 3, 2025, U.S. Surgeon General’s advisory described alcohol as a cause of cancer and recommended cancer-risk information on alcohol warning labels and reevaluation of drinking guidelines.
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Alcohol is linked to at least 7 cancers and accounts for approximately 5.4% of new U.S. cancer cases and 4.1% of cancer deaths each year.
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Prior qualitative studies found defensive responses to alcohol-cancer messages, including minimizing risk, disputing scientific credibility, fatalism, and arguing that drinking is worth the risk.
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The study addresses gaps in research on audience responses to alcohol-cancer messaging and social media discourse following the Surgeon General’s advisory.
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The researchers used topic modeling to examine TikTok comments accompanying videos that mentioned the advisory.

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