I have heard from several people that the safest thing to do is not drink at all after having had oral SCC. I have had a sip of wine or beer here or there, just to see if they taste the same and they don't bother my mouth (although the finer points of wine are now lost on my palate) but I doubt I could swallow hard liquor without it causing enough pain that it wouldn't be worth it-even aside from the health risk.

I hope he finds the same--at least if he stays away from the hard liquor he'll be helped a little!