Alcohol-related liver disease hospital admissions in the UK have doubled in ten years, while total deaths related to alcoholic liver disease rose by 37%, according to NHS figures. In 2004/5 35,400 people were admitted to hospital with an alcohol-related liver disease.

In 2004/5 21,700 people were admitted to hospital for alcoholic poisoning, versus 13,600 in 1994/5.

In a survey published in The Information Centre, NHS, in 2005 25% of 11-15 year old children had had an alcoholic beverage during the previous seven days of being surveyed. The average teenager in the UK is consuming alarming quantities of alcohol.

33% of men and 25% of women, aged 16-24 had been on a binge drink once during the previous seven days of being surveyed.

Binge drinking is much more part of young people's lifestyles than older adults. Most 45-64 year-olds will drink little, but often.

When compared to European Union countries, UK alcohol consumption if not high - it ranks more or less in the middle. However, while consumption in the European Union has either levelled off or is coming down, in the UK it is rising fast. The average UK adult consumes 10.39 litres of alcohol per year while people from Luxembourg consume 17,54 litres.

The Department of Health, through a spokesman, said "We know that alcohol misuse has a devastating effect on millions of lives each year. And that is why we are working with the drinks industry, police and health professionals to increase awareness of the dangers of excessive drinking and make the sensible drinking message easier to understand. We will also be launching a joint campaign with the Home Office later this year to promote sensible drinking amongst young people."