Women are told to drink no more than 14 units of alcohol each week

A Mori poll of 1,001 people found that 78% were worried about alcohol-related problems, with 43% "very concerned".

But only 7% of men and 22% of women surveyed knew the recommended alcohol allowance of three to four units per day for men and two to three for women.

Campaigners push for strategy

The survey came as alcohol awareness campaigners called on the government to push on urgently with an alcohol harm-reduction strategy.

Recent government statistics showed six million people admitted to binge drinking, with eight million consuming more than the medically set limits.

While alcohol remains a Cinderella issue... it is hardly surprising that there are low levels of understanding about how much alcohol is healthy Eric Appleby

The Cabinet Office also revealed the extent to which alcohol fuelled other problems, including one million fights a year, 19,000 sexual assaults and 360,000 cases of domestic violence.

Eric Appleby, chief executive of lobby group Alcohol Concern, said: "While alcohol remains a Cinderella issue - a poor relation to drugs in terms of investment in treatment and education - it is hardly surprising that there are low levels of understanding about how much alcohol is healthy.".

Alcohol Concern, Turning Point and the London Drug and Alcohol Network are launching a campaign this week, called No Half Measures, to urge more action to tackle drink-related problems.

Mr Appleby added: "We very much welcome the Government's commitment to a national alcohol strategy - but it was promised in 1998 and never came.

"It was promised for this summer and never came, then it was promised for this Autumn but we're still waiting.

"The sooner ministers implement a national strategy in England, backed with significant investment, the sooner we can reverse the growth in binge drinking and reduce alcohol dependency."