A report by UK academics has accused the drinks industry of, “actively disseminating misinformation about alcohol and cancer risk, particularly breast cancer,” comparing it to the tobacco industry’s “denial, distortion and distraction tactics”.

The paper (which can be found here) has in turn been described as a “diatribe” disguised as science, that wilfully misrepresents the evidence it puts forward and is designed to enhance the belief that anti-alcohol campaigners are always in the right.

The paper, compiled by researchers at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and published in the Drug and Alcohol Review, has been picked up as a lead feature in this morning’s Guardian newspaper as well.

The report states that having “thematically” examined texts relating to alcohol and cancer rom 27 drinks organisations: “Most of the organisations were found to disseminate misrepresentations of the evidence about the association between alcohol and cancer.