Health experts have warned of up to 250,000 extra alcohol-related deaths in England and Wales over the next 20 years unless the Government takes urgent action.
Figures from the Office for National Statistics show there were 8,664 such deaths in the UK during 2009 - up from 6,884 in 2000.
But three leading experts use an article in the Lancet to claim we are likely to see a further escalation in deaths because current government plans will not address the problem.
Measures proposed by the Government include banning the sale of alcohol below cost price and increasing duty on high-strength beer.
One of the three authors of the article and former president of the Royal College of Physicians, Professor Sir Ian Gilmore, said: "Looking at the evidence, price is a crucial driver.
"We would call for a minimum unit price of 50p per unit.
"That's what the chief medical officer suggested, that's been supported by the health select committee looking at alcohol.
"I think all serious players in this believe that a unit price of about 50p really would save thousands of lives."
At the height of his addiction, Gary Topley would drink 15 pints, 12 bottles of alcopop and 10 shots in a single night.
He is now in recovery and runs a self-help group called the Free From Addiction Project.
"The time I went out drinking was primarily on a Thursday," said the 32-year-old from Chesterfield.
"It was because it was always buy-one-get-two free, so cost does come into it because I could get drunk very, very cheaply."
The Government, who say they will be publishing a new alcohol strategy in the summer, maintain they are tough on tackling problem drinking.
But those within the drinks industry say higher pricing will not work.
Gavin Partington from the Wine and Spirit Trade Association said: "We know that the countries with the highest alcohol prices including some of the highest taxation on alcohol are also the countries that seem to have a problem with binge drinking.
"The UK is one of those countries, (along with) Ireland and the Scandinavian countries, and so really there seems little correlation between the level of price and the problems with binge drinking."
The article in the Lancet says liver disease has doubled in the UK since the mid-1980s.
Professor Gilmore added: "The country that's made the most dramatic progress in reducing consumption and liver disease is France and they've got quite a tough regulatory framework.
"For example, there's a complete ban on broadcast advertising of alcohol and there's a complete ban on sports sponsorship there.
"The industry there has tended to concentrate more on improving quality rather than quantity and they don't seem to have the same 'pile it high and sell it cheap' philosophy which seems to pervade our supermarkets."
Figures from the Office for National Statistics show there were 8,664 such deaths in the UK during 2009 - up from 6,884 in 2000.
But three leading experts use an article in the Lancet to claim we are likely to see a further escalation in deaths because current government plans will not address the problem.
Measures proposed by the Government include banning the sale of alcohol below cost price and increasing duty on high-strength beer.
One of the three authors of the article and former president of the Royal College of Physicians, Professor Sir Ian Gilmore, said: "Looking at the evidence, price is a crucial driver.
"We would call for a minimum unit price of 50p per unit.
"That's what the chief medical officer suggested, that's been supported by the health select committee looking at alcohol.
"I think all serious players in this believe that a unit price of about 50p really would save thousands of lives."
At the height of his addiction, Gary Topley would drink 15 pints, 12 bottles of alcopop and 10 shots in a single night.
He is now in recovery and runs a self-help group called the Free From Addiction Project.
"The time I went out drinking was primarily on a Thursday," said the 32-year-old from Chesterfield.
"It was because it was always buy-one-get-two free, so cost does come into it because I could get drunk very, very cheaply."
The Government, who say they will be publishing a new alcohol strategy in the summer, maintain they are tough on tackling problem drinking.
But those within the drinks industry say higher pricing will not work.
Gavin Partington from the Wine and Spirit Trade Association said: "We know that the countries with the highest alcohol prices including some of the highest taxation on alcohol are also the countries that seem to have a problem with binge drinking.
"The UK is one of those countries, (along with) Ireland and the Scandinavian countries, and so really there seems little correlation between the level of price and the problems with binge drinking."
The article in the Lancet says liver disease has doubled in the UK since the mid-1980s.
Professor Gilmore added: "The country that's made the most dramatic progress in reducing consumption and liver disease is France and they've got quite a tough regulatory framework.
"For example, there's a complete ban on broadcast advertising of alcohol and there's a complete ban on sports sponsorship there.
"The industry there has tended to concentrate more on improving quality rather than quantity and they don't seem to have the same 'pile it high and sell it cheap' philosophy which seems to pervade our supermarkets."
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