Many of us enjoy a chilled glass of wine or a cold beer after a hard day at work . But while the majority of people believe their drinking habits are under control , one in five young professionals now considers themselves to have a problem with alcohol , a survey found . A new poll laying bare the public 's attitudes to drinking found nearly half of young workers think it is acceptable to regularly get drunk on a night out , compared to a fifth of the general population . It also revealed the risky effects of drinking , as young people admitted to forgetting how they got home , driving themselves home drunk or getting in a car with someone they knew was intoxicated . One in five young professionals now considers themselves to have a dirnking problem , a survey found . The news comes after a shocking report published this week found binge drinking costs the British economy £4.9bn every year in terms of treating drunks in A & E , road crashes , police arrests and court cases . The damning report said current policies on alcohol taxation are failing to keep up with the financial consequences of people drinking to excess , and calls for minimum unit prices to offset these costs . The new poll of 4,000 British adults found 7 per cent reported they have a drinking problem . Among young professionals , this figure rose to 21 per cent , with 28 per cent of men in this saying they believe they have a problem . More than a third ( 35 per cent ) of 18 to 24-year-olds said they had got so drunk they could not remember most of their night out , with one in five ( 18 per cent ) admitting they have not been able to recall how they got home . One in 20 admitted to driving themselves home drunk and one in ten said they have got in a car with someone who they knew was intoxicated . A survey of 4,000 British adults revealed : . 7 per cent reported they have a drinking problem . 21 per cent of young professionals said they had a drinking professionals , with the figure rising to 28 per cent for men alone . 35 per cent of 18-24-year-olds said they had got so drunk they could not remember most of their night out , . 18 per cent admitted they have not been able to recall how they got home . 5 per cent admitted to driving themselves home drunk . 10 per cent got in a car with someone intoxicated . Among 25 to 34-year-olds 16 per cent said they have woken up in a stranger 's house . 23 per cent of 35-54-year-olds said they drink at home alone . Another 23 per cent considered alcohol to be more harmful to their health than smoking . 53 per cent said the NHS should refrain from treating alcoholics . 54 per cent said it is not acceptable to drink when pregnant . Among 25 to 34-year-olds 16 per cent said they have woken up in a stranger 's house . Meanwhile , nearly a quarter ( 23 per cent ) of those aged 35 to 54 said they drink alone at home , with many saying they do it to relieve stress or relax . When asked about the dangers of drinking , three quarters of those polled said they believed Britain has a heavy drinking culture . Just over a fifth ( 23 per cent ) considered alcohol to be more harmful to their health than smoking . While a sizeable proportion of people admitted to problematic drinking , the survey revealed tough attitudes to alcohol abuse . More than half of those questioned believe the NHS should refrain from treating people who continue to abuse alcohol after warnings about their health . A similar number ( 54 per cent ) said it is not acceptable to drink while pregnant . Alistair Bohm , head of communications at drug and alcohol treatment charity Addaction , said : 'Problems with alcohol use can affect people of any age , from any background . 'As these statistics show , it 's not just people who are addicted to alcohol who are damaging their health or risking their safety as a result of drinking . 'If a person is worried about their drinking , the best thing to do is speak to their doctor , or find their nearest addiction services . ' The World Health Organisation estimates there are 3.3 million deaths each year as a result of harmful use of alcohol . Doctors warn long term alcohol misuse is a major risk factor for conditions including heart disease , stroke , liver disease , and certain cancers . The survey was carried out by Opinium Research . Almost a quarter ( 23 per cent ) considered alcohol to be more harmful to their health than smoking .
Fifth of young people do n't remember how they got home after drinking . Third forgot their entire night while one in 20 drove themselves home drunk . Fourth did not know where the party was, or what it was about until a few hours later when someone told them Half said the NHS should stop treating alcoholics given health warnings .