“I wouldn’t suggest these people are intoxicated — an awful lot of them are alcohol poisoned.

“I’ve seen young people, with their first or second experience of alcohol, where they have been rendered so unconscious they end up in an intensive care unit.”

He was speaking as a report out today said Scotland’s drinking problem is becoming significantly worse and is placing an increased burden on the health service.

NHS Quality Improvement Scotland revealed increases in emergency hospital admissions for conditions related to excessive alcohol consumption, including alcoholic and chronic liver disease.

The report stated that, between 1996 and 2004, the rate of emergency admissions to A&E units for people suffering from high levels of intoxication had risen 40% for men and 30% for women.

Over the same period, admissions for alcoholic liver disease rose 73% in men and 81% in women, and for chronic liver disease rose 92% for men and 100% for women.

Commenting on the report, NHS Quality Improvement Scotland chief executive Dr David Steel said, “This report paints a stark picture of the damage alcohol is doing to the nation’s health.

“Quite simply Scotland’s drink problem is getting worse. As a nation, we need to take a good look at our behaviour.

“If we continue to misuse alcohol, it will continue to extract a toll on our health that our bodies simply cannot afford.”

Dr Steel added that he had commissioned an investigation into A&E services, which will give a detailed picture of the burden of alcohol related cases on the health service.

He added, “The impact on the health service is a further concern and coping with the rise in emergency admissions presents a real challenge to the NHS.”

The report found that rates of emergency hospital admissions for excessive alcohol consumption were highest in Scotland’s more deprived areas.

Alcohol-related problems are estimated to cost Scotland £1.1bn to tackle, and the Scottish Parliament last month passed major licensing laws to tackle binge drinking and alcohol-fuelled crime.

Although the new laws allow the sale of alcohol in pubs and clubs 24 hours a day, ministers stressed this would only be in exceptional circumstances.

Dr Steel said, “We will watch the impact of the licensing law changes with interest and we are hopeful the changes will bring the licensing laws up to date and will contribute to a resolution of the problem.”

The Executive has said the increase in reported incidences of chronic alcohol related disease should be seen as further reinforcement about the damaging effect the sustained and excessive consumption of alcohol can have on health over time.

The report also revealed that hospital emergency admissions for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, one of the most common smoking-related lung diseases, increased by 40%.

However, it also stated that the death rate from heart failure dropped by 50% between 1996 and 2004. The rate of emergency admissions to hospitals for heart failure also decreased in recent years, although the survival rate one year after admission has remained at a steady 55%.