In a new advisory, Surgeon General Vivek Murthy recommended that labels on alcoholic beverages be updated to include a warning about cancer risk.

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.

Alcoholic drinks like beer and wine should carry warnings of their links to cancer, the US’s top doctor said, citing a lack of public awareness of the popular products’ health risks.

A flurry of news reports and studies that point to the health hazards of alcohol are a cause for concern for beverage producers already dealing with a challenging market.

U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy said Friday that two alcoholic drinks a day increases the risk for seven types of cancer, calling for cancer warning labels on alcohol. Emily Leeming, who researches the gut microbiome, has tricks to get more fermented foods in her diet, including using kefir in clever ways.

Alcohol consumption is the third-leading cause of preventable cancer in the U.S. and kills around 20,000 people annually.

The U.S. Surgeon General recommends cancer warnings on alcoholic beverages. Alcohol increases the risk of multiple cancers. Changes to labels need Congressional approval. Surgeon General's proposals recall historical tobacco regulations.

As cancer has been linked to alcohol use, per the surgeon general's new advisory, addiction experts offer helpful tips to cut back on drinking in a safe, healthy way.

U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy has issued an advisory highlighting the link between alcohol consumption and increased cancer risk. The advisory notes that alcohol is responsible for approximately 100,