Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt expects a national plan to reduce the harm caused by alcohol will be released in the coming months amid calls for a campaign to improve public awareness.
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The alcohol strategy underwent a public consultation between December 2017 and February 2018, and will soon be finalised, Mr Hunt said.
"We're looking to get the national alcohol strategy out within the next four months, so we'll be working quickly with the states to finalise it," Mr Hunt told AAP.
"My view is get on with it, get it done, get it out there and get it implemented."
The strategy comes as an annual poll on the attitude of Australians towards drinking, released by the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education last month, found less than half were aware of the link between long-term alcohol use and several cancers.
Less than a third (29 per cent) of 1820 people surveyed were aware that alcohol use was linked with cancers of the mouth and throat, while just 16 per cent knew about the link between alcohol and breast cancer.
The research group has called for evidence-based public awareness campaigns to highlight long-term drinking harms.
According to the government's own cancer website, it's estimated that 5.6 per cent of cancer cases in Australia are attributable to long-term chronic use of alcohol.
Asked whether there is a need to improve public understanding of the health risks of drinking, the minister said the upcoming strategy is likely to deal with the issue.
"I think that you'll see that is one of the elements that is likely to come out of the national alcohol strategy."
Australian Associated Press
