Not to defend alcohol, but by that logic, we should also be giving up on BBQ, cured meats, and stir fries, and yet I don't see very many people merrily throwing those away.
Smoked meats have high levels of carcinogens. The carcinogens are created when food cooks at a high temp. For smoking, in particular, they are created when fat drips on to the heat source and then the resulting carcinogens end up in the meat [0].
Cured meats contain nitrates or nitrites, both of which have been associated with an increased risk of cancer.
