Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, MD, recently released an advisory that calls for adding cancer warning labels to alcohol. The report said that alcohol consumption is the third leading preventable cause of cancer in the United States, after tobacco and obesity.

Dr. Vivek Murthy issued an advisory Friday about alcohol and cancer risk and called for changes to beverage warning labels.

Alcohol is a leading cause of cancer, a risk that should be clearly labeled on drinks Americans consume, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy proposed on Friday.

The U.S. Surgeon General’s call for cancer warnings on alcohol is being welcomed by some substance-misuse prevention advocates in New Hampshire. In an advisory issued last week, Surgeon General Vivek Murthy called alcohol the “third leading preventable cause of cancer in the United States,” contributing to around 20,000 cancer deaths each year.

U.S. surgeon general Dr. Vivek Murthy published an advisory on the link between alcohol consumption and cancer risk.

For the companies that brew, ferment, distill, bottle and sell alcohol, the surgeon general's new missive is going down like a poorly worded toast.

Alcohol is linked to seven types of cancer, including breast and colon cancer, the surgeon general says, and new warning labels should reflect that.

The advice to put cancer warning labels on alcohol is no surprise to an Arizona scientist who has long warned of a cancer link.

Bartender Rebecca Bachner says she’s worked at places where alcohol is the only thing on the menu. She likes her job much better here. “I am respected,” says Bachner. “I am treated well just like everyone else here.