Tough stance : Health minister Marisol Touraine wants to impose fines and prison sentences for inciting binge drinking . They look down on our food , our weather and even our language . Now France has cocked a snooty nose at our drinking habits , too – and is blaming us for exporting them across the Channel . French health chiefs say the UK is responsible for causing a sharp rise in the number of youngsters who binge-drink . It has slammed the practice of going out to get drunk as an 'Anglo-Saxon phenomenon ' and says it is being copied by increasing numbers of youths on the continent . But critics have said it 's a case of double standards for a country where children are encouraged to drink wine at the table from a relatively early age . The latest figures reveal that almost half of French 18 to 25 years olds have consumed alcohol with the sole aim of getting drunk – compared to 33 per cent ten years ago . The rise in binging is particularly high among young women , soaring from eight per cent who admitted they had done it in 2005 , to three times that number by 2015 . Now France 's state health watchdog has claimed the sharp increase is due to French youths copying the English . Francis Bourdillon , head of the National Institute of Prevention and Health Education , said : 'This is an Anglo-Saxon phenomenon that 's starting to creep into the generation of the 15-24-year-olds . 'Consumption of alcohol in France is particularly worrying among young people and especially among young women . 'Besides the obvious health concerns , binge drinking can also lead to violence against women , sometimes fatal drunken accidents , and unprotected sex . ' Bad influence : French officials claim binge drinking is an Anglo-Saxon phenomenon , pictured here on TV programme Booze Britain . Sophisticated : French officials would prefer youngsters to move back to the more traditional pastimes such as a picnic lunch , after new figures revealed more youths are drinking solely to get drunk . The slur on the British comes in the same week that Health Minister Marisol Touraine presents her new health bill to the government , which includes reforms to crack down on France 's binge-drinking culture . Ms Touraine said : 'We have to put a stop to drunkenness that does such damage to young people . 'This trend is a risk to their own health , and as a result puts an extra strain on the health service . 'Some may accuse the government of wanting to arrest people for having fun . But it is our job to encourage citizens to moderate their alcohol intake . ' Her new law would impose fines of up to £12,000 for inciting someone under 18 to get drunk , and fines of £5,000 or six months in prison for inciting someone of any age to binge-drink . France 's language watchdog the Academie Francaise has banned the English expression 'binge-drinking ' from all government literature , ordering that the phrase 'beuverie express ' be used instead .
French health chiefs say binge-drinking is 'Anglo-Saxon phenomenon ' Half aged last decade in France admitted drinking with aim of 'getting drunk ' Number of young females admitting binging has tripled in 18-25 . Minister wants to introduce fines or prison for inciting underage drinking .