text: 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 .
target: Fifth of young people don't remember how they got home after drinking .
  Third forgot their entire night while one in 20 drove themselves home drunk .
  But nearly a quarter considered alcohol to be more harmful than smoking .
  Half  said the NHS should stop treating alcoholics given health warnings .