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’s report cites studies linking alcoholic beverages to at least seven malignancies, including breast cancer. But to add warning labels, Congress would have to act.

The Surgeon General has issued an advisory warning of the causal link between alcohol consumption and cancer, urging Congress to update the surgeon general's warning label on alcohol.

The U.S. Surgeon General is calling to add cancer warning labels to alcohol. In a recent advisory, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy called on Congress to include a cancer risk warning in the warning labels on alcohol. He says alcohol is the third-leading preventable cause of cancer in the U.S., behind tobacco use and obesity.

There are about 100,000 alcohol-related cancer cases and about 20,000 alcohol-related cancer deaths each year, according to the new report.

US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy noted that consuming alcohol increases the risk for "at least seven types of cancer" including breast, colon and liver.

It’s the third-leading preventable cause of cancer in the United States, after tobacco and obesity, the office said.

As New Year's Eve revelers across the world clinked glasses and ordered rounds, Surgeon General Vivek Murthy was in the midst of delivering a grave message about alcohol, a drug that fits neatly into both our highest highs and lowest lows.

On January 3, the US Surgeon General issued an advisory on the association between alcohol and the risk of cancer. The advisory outlines current scientific literature and concludes that alcohol consumption is the third leading preventable cause of cancer in the United States.