Drinking has become one of the major health hazards in England. Figures released today show that one in three men and one in six women are at risk of physical and psychological harm as a result of their drinking habits.

More than one in 20 men and two per cent of women were also found to be prone to suffer from problems such as liver disease or depression through drinking.

Last year more than 800,000 people were taken to hospital as a result of problems linked to alcohol, 62%of these being men. This is a 69% increase on figures for 2002/03, when there were 510,200 such admissions.

New NHS figures also showed that 134,429 prescriptions for drugs to treat alcohol addiction were issued in 2007, a 31% rise on the number in 2003. These drugs help reduce longing for alcohol or cause nausea or headaches if alcohol is ingested.

The NHS information centre also brought forth the fact that the number of people being admitted to hospital suffering from injuries directly or indirectly involving alcohol.