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THE number of women dying from alcohol-related liver disease has more than doubled in eight years, outstripping the rise in men, according to new figures which reveal the true extent of Scotland's binge drinking culture.
In the past, doctors saw fewer cases of liver disease among people in their thirties.
But the new data reveals that the number of women aged 30 to 44 who died of alcohol-related liver disease doubled from 32 in 1997 to 64 in 2005; for women aged between 45 and 59 the rise was even steeper - 104 per cent. For men, it was 48 per cent and 72 per cent respectively.
Studies have shown that people in Scotland drink twice as much now as they did in the 1950s. Alcohol has be- come much more affordable, with wages rising at a much faster pace than the price of drinks.
This has led doctors to warn that the NHS will face rising pressures to treat the ill effects caused by alcohol abuse.
Figures revealed in a parliamentary answer yesterday showed that there were 976 deaths from alcoholic liver disease in 2005 - 638 in men and 338 in women.
Other figures also show that the number of people diagnosed with an alcohol-related condition reached 41,250 in 2005 - up 32 per cent since 1997.
The SNP said the Scottish Executive was failing to face up to dealing with Scotland's alcohol problems.
Jack Law, chief executive of Alcohol Focus Scotland, said: "This year-on-year rise in alcoholic liver disease deaths shows just how far we have to go in tackling Scotland's problem drinking culture, especially as the European trend is going in the opposite direction.
"It is particularly shocking that the death rate among women has risen by almost 110 per cent in just eight years."
He continued: "Women are drinking more than ever and, sadly, that means we're also seeing an increase in the number of women dying from alcoholic liver disease."
Mr Law said more funding and support was needed to try to help people before they developed serious alcohol problems.
Christine Grahame, the SNP's social justice spokeswoman, branded the attempts to reduce alcohol misuse as "hopeless".
"These figures give a frightening insight into the rise of alcohol-related liver deaths in Scotland since Labour came to power," she said.
"It demonstrates that despite all the strategies they have rolled out and the hundreds of thousands of pounds [they have] spent on glossy reports and con- sultation exercises, the result on the ground is more and more people dying through alcohol-related disease and drink misuse."
Ms Grahame said the rising rates in women were of particular concern and more work needed to be done to target this group.
"I think the efforts so far by Scottish ministers to tackle alcohol misuse have been, frankly, hopeless and these figures sadly bear testament to that," she added.
"This is a growing problem that requires both proper consideration and investment."
The Executive has yet to publish its long-awaited updated Alcohol Action Plan, which was promised for the end of last year.
Yesterday a spokeswoman confirmed it would be released "shortly".
A poll in The Scotsman earlier this month revealed that seven out of ten Scots would welcome the introduction of new laws to tackle the nation's problematic relationship with alcohol.
Ms Grahame said the Ministerial Advisory Committee on Alcohol Problems had been set up by the Executive, but only met three or four times a year.
"Having a meeting three or four times a year over coffee in a small ministerial ante room is not going to reduce one single death from liver-related alcohol misuse.
"Ministers need to get on top of this," she said.
A Scottish Executive spokeswoman said: "All key statistics on alcohol reinforce the urgent need for action - by government, by individuals, and by producers and retailers.
"We are playing our part in tackling the causes and consequences of alcohol misuse with the launch of a robust communications campaign to encourage people to take responsibility for their drinking and not to put pressure on friends to take an alcohol drink when part of a round.
"The new Licensing Act includes tough action to deal with irresponsible drinks promotion and under-age drinking and new powers in our antisocial behaviour legislation are helping the police and other agencies deal with alcohol-related crime and disorder.
"We [are] ploughing extra resources into education programmes and rehabilitation services."
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