NEW figures show a staggering 1,312 people died in the north west from alcohol abuse in a year - more than anywhere else in England.
The shocking figures reveal the death toll from drink in the region has doubled in 15 years, up from 582 in 1993.
Office for National Statistics data for 2008 shows men are almost twice as likely as women to die from an alcohol related illnesses like liver disease.
Another study by ONS suggests middle class professionals are drinking the most alcohol and more frequently.
It also reveals people are now more likely to drink at home rather than in pubs or bars.
The ONS data on drinking habits also showed one in five men and one in seven women aged 65 and over drink every day compared with one per cent of those aged 16 to 24.
Overall around a third of people exceed the daily sensible drinking limit - three to four units a day for men and two to three units for women.
Professional adults drink 13.8 units a week, but someone doing a manual job is likely to drink around 10.6 units.
People are most likely to buy alcohol in supermarkets with off licence sales falling, but sales in bars and restaurants are also increasing.
Awareness
However, the statistics are revealed at the same time another new survey, by the Department for Health, shows there is more awareness of the damage alcohol can do than ever before.
Even so, the government is set to launch a £6m TV advertising campaign in response to the growing problem.
Andy Walker from North West alcohol pressure group Our Life said: “These are stark figures.
“Alcohol harm is increasing all the time and at the same time supermarkets are selling it at pocket money prices – it can’t be a coincidence.
“We need action now to tackle this problem and believe minimum pricing would increase the price of alcohol enough to make people think more about buying it.”
The survey by the Department of Health shows half of drinkers in Greater Manchester believe alcohol only harms you if you get drunk regularly.
Cancer
It also revealed more than 80pc knew drinking alcohol is linked to liver disease but less than 10pc know it increases the risk of breast cancer.
Nationally the number of alcohol-related deaths has more than doubled since 1992, from 4,023 to 9,031 in 2008.
The World Health Organisation estimates that 20pc of alcohol-related deaths are from cancer and 15pc from cardiovascular conditions such as heart disease and stroke, while 13pc are from liver disease.
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Black Flag (29/01/2010 at 11:22)
Our Life is a pressure group. It is also funded by the NHS, so it would be more accurate to describe it as a government representative. It's an example of a fairly routine practice where the govenrment sets up a "fake charity" which calls for actions which the government has already proposed, thereby creating a false impression of external support.
The one thing I agree with Our Life about is in the name. It's my life. I don't need bureaucrats to make my lifestyle choices for me. Go Away.
Hurry O'Caine - the Irish Whirlind, Typhoon Tipperary (29/01/2010 at 11:31)
Comedy classic.
steak, Manchester (29/01/2010 at 11:36)
Mark,Radcliffe. (29/01/2010 at 11:39)
Theowolfe (29/01/2010 at 11:52)
Jay B, oldham (29/01/2010 at 11:57)
what will it be next after this? they're already looking into taxing junk food.
Hurry O'Caine - the Irish Whirlind, Typhoon Tipperary (29/01/2010 at 12:03)
citycentre, manchester (29/01/2010 at 12:16)
Good point, the proliferation of so called charities which exist to peddle governmet propaganda should be a matter of more concern to us all.
Audenshaw Bob (29/01/2010 at 12:33)
I think the probelm is that in this country we work longer hours than virtually anybody, live in a more aggressive society, are in a major recession and more importantly we are surrounded by negativity all the time.
You only have to listen to MP's or hear their adverts on tv or see their billboards - it's all 'the world will end soon because of climate change, your children will have a terrible life die to climate change, they woun't have children because the world will end, we are on sever terror alerts, WPD can be launched against us in 45 minutes, congestion will increase to such a level the city will meet with disaster.
NHS advets tell us to look out for people having a stroke, warn us we might have heart disease and not know it, tell us that we will probably get cancer or a close relative will.
On Christmas Day there was an aggressive advert saying 'feel happy eating your Christmas Dinner. Hope you enjoy it' and then it showed a homeless p[erson.
We are a nation dominated by fear, negativity, guilt and aggression so no wonder we turn to the bottle.
The government should be asking why we are turning to the bottle for solace.
Hurry O'Caine - the Irish Whirlind, Typhoon Tipperary (29/01/2010 at 12:46)
PW, Manchester (29/01/2010 at 13:00)
I can't speak for the career-unemployed boozers though. But I agree the Government do issue a lot of propaganda on a range of things that can be worrying to a lot of people. If you worried about it all, it would kill you in a shorter space of time.
Life is so complex. If you buy the latest labour-saving or technological gadget, you need your weekend to get it out of the box and read the large book that comes with it, when all you wanted to do was turn it on and use it. All stress, stress, stress. Alcohol, when used sensibly can give you a break from it all and help you unwind. If you want to over-do it and harm yourself then it's down to no one else.
Audenshaw Bob (29/01/2010 at 13:16)
Mrs Jammy, Sitting on the settee (29/01/2010 at 13:24)
The government and these pressure groups should just let people live their own lives and make their own mistakes.
CorneredAllTheLuck, Tameside (29/01/2010 at 13:26)
James Bower (29/01/2010 at 13:29)
J smith (29/01/2010 at 13:31)
Ignoramus, Manchester (29/01/2010 at 13:39)
The difference is if I drink myself to death im only killing myself, speeding and driving dangerously wil cause you to harm/kill others.
And just because a drug is illegal it doesn't make the responsible use of it unacceptable.
Theowolfe (29/01/2010 at 13:40)
J smith
It may not be acceptable to you but quite frankly it's none of your business.
Billy Wizz, Wizzville (29/01/2010 at 13:41)
Anyone fancy a pint?
JTC Formerley JimC (29/01/2010 at 13:43)
Black Flag (29/01/2010 at 13:45)
The justification for laws which prevent speeding or dangerous driving is that those acts present a clear danger to other people, which is clearly very different to controlling the behaviour of people because they might harm themselves.
Stop being silly.
Higgs Boson, Greater Manchester (29/01/2010 at 13:50)
Are you drink driving?
PW, Manchester (29/01/2010 at 13:51)
Drive?? Surely not. Is it legal in Audenshaw?
J smith (29/01/2010 at 13:58)
It may not be acceptable to you but quite frankly it's none of your business."
What have the following stories all got in common?
Shame of charity fundraiser who attacked his girlfriend 29 JAN
I’ll run you over, thug tells school bus driver 29 Jan
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/1183899_mum_attacked_four_in_drunken_rage
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/1178845_video_shows_bbc_reporter_fighting_off_drunken_attackers
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/1068952_drunken_racist_banned_from_shop
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/1185781_drunken_night_out_ends_in_car_carnage_and_convictions
Who is paying for these cases before the court, YOU ARE. Next time you go out take a video camera and film yourselves, you will be embarressed if you watch it the next day, when you cost ME money it becomes my business.
Higgs Boson, Greater Manchester (29/01/2010 at 14:00)
I've heard this argument before about whether killing youself due to your own irresponsibility has anything to do with anyone else as long as it doesn't effect anyone else. Not wearing a seatbelt is silly but if you are alone in your car and plough into a brick wall and die, that is your right as it doesn't effect anyone else.
Wrong- the average cost to society of a fatal road accident is around 1.7million pounds. This effects everyone and i'd imagine that there is a cost associated with early deaths through booze too.