Twice as many drinkers are dying from alcohol

The number of deaths directly caused by alcohol has more than doubled in less than 15 years.

And the rate at which people are dying is rising remorselessly every year, official figures show.

The statistics were collected before Labour's relaxation of the licensing laws last year, so the impact of the new laws which allow pubs to open around the clock has yet to be registered.

There were 8,386 deaths caused by alcohol last year, compared with 4,144 in 1991, according to the Office for National Statistics.

But the figures count only deaths directly caused by alcohol and do not include fatalities from heart disease, cancer, stroke, mental illness and other health problems caused by drinks. When these are added, the total number of alcoholrelated deaths can be at least doubled.

Doctors and opposition politicians yesterday urged the Government to curb the binge drinking culture to counter the rising death toll.

Addiction expert Professor Chris Cook of Durham University said: "It is not tremendously surprising that the figures have increased given the way alcohol consumption has been rising."

A spokesman from the Institute of Alcohol Studies think-tank said: "We should remember that this is only the tip of the iceberg of alcohol-related deaths. The worst part of all is that we know what we could do to prevent these deaths - but have stood by and let them happen nonetheless."

The figures also showed that alcohol kills more than twice as many men as women - but female deaths are rising rapidly.

The biggest increase in alcohol deaths came in 2001 - the year Labour sent out texts asking for the votes of young people who "couldn't give a XXXX for last orders" - when the death toll went up by 615.

Last year, the number of deaths rose by 165, but more liberal licensing laws began to operate on November 23, 2005 - meaning this year's figures could be higher still.