Anti-meat group says hot dogs need cancer warnings

NEWARK -- Hot dogs may be as American as baseball and apple pie, but an anti-meat advocacy group says they're hazardous to your health and should carry warning labels.

The Washington, D.C.-based vegan advocacy group, called the Cancer Project, wants to force hot dog makers to use warning labels. The group filed a lawsuit Wednesday in Superior Court in Newark on behalf of three New Jersey residents. The defendants are Kraft Foods, manufacturer of the Oscar Mayer brand; Sara Lee; Nathan's Famous; and the makers of the Hebrew National and Sabrett brands.

The lawsuit cites a report by the American Institute for Cancer Research that concluded regular consumption of processed meat can increase the risk of colorectal and other forms of cancer.