She urged people to drink in a sensible and safer way and look out for each other while drinking over the seasonal holidays.

“Christmas can often be a difficult time of year for people drinking to excess as we tend to look forward to these holidays and alcohol is often a big part of our celebrations,” she said.

“There are essentially two things the agency notices at this time of year. The first is that many people are heading out to parties and may drink more that they normally would do.

“We certainly don’t want to spoil the enjoyment of the festive period, but it is important to be aware about how to drink in a safer and more sensible way.

“It is so important that people look after themselves and each other and remain aware of how much they are consuming before paying the price.”

“The second thing the agency is aware of is that it can often be a difficult emotional time for people over Christmas and New Year.

“Some people who are feeling particularly unhappy or lonely over the festive season may choose to drink in their home to help them struggle through.

“There are two contrasting sides to the festive season, with some people drinking to excess at social occasions and others who are quite low or are feeling down and could turn to drink to cope with the situation.

“The financial pressures are also affecting people quite a bit this year as well and some people may use alcohol to try to escape from it.”

Ms Ferguson urged people in the city to get the support they need over the festive season if they feel they are drinking too much.

“We would encourage people to bear in mind how much they are drinking and make sure there are looking after themselves.

“There is also help and support for people available at Tayside Council on Alcohol. A free information pack will also be available.”

She added, “Everybody forgets that alcohol is such a potent drug.

“People should want to remain on the side of having a safe, good time and there is a very fine line before going into the other side of that.”