Alcoholic beverages should be labeled to warn consumers of cancer risks, U.S. Chief Medical Officer Vivek Murthy said today in an advisory, stressing that drinking alcoholic beverages increases the risk of developing breast cancer, colon cancer, liver and other cancers.

Murthy also called for a reassessment of alcohol limit guidelines so that people can weigh up the risk of cancer in deciding whether or how much to drink, alongside current warnings about birth defects and impairment of driving. .

“Alcohol consumption is the third leading cause of preventable cancer in the US, after smoking and obesity, increasing the risk of at least seven types of cancer,” Murthy’s office said in a statement accompanying the new report.

Alcohol consumption is responsible for 100,000 cases of cancer in the US and 20,000 cancer deaths each year, more than the 13,500 deaths from alcohol-related traffic accidents, the report points out.

Alcoholic beverages in the US currently carry a health warning label advising pregnant women against their consumption. They also report that drinking alcohol affects a person’s ability to drive or operate machinery.

This marking has not changed since it was introduced in 1988.

“The direct link between alcohol consumption and risk of carcinogenesis is well documented for at least seven types of cancer…regardless of the type of alcohol (eg, beer, wine, and spirits) consumed,” including cancers of the esophagus, mouth, larynx and vocal cords, according to the announcement.

The new report recommends that health care providers encourage alcohol control and referrals for treatment as needed, and efforts to increase general awareness should be expanded.