A call has been made for a change in attitudes to alcohol

Figures for such illnesses in Dumfries and Galloway have trebled in a decade according to recent figures.

Nationwide statistics had more than doubled between 1996 and last year.

Jim Parker, of Dumfries and Galloway's alcohol and drugs awareness team, said liver disease was just one problem associated with excessive drinking.

A total of 66 patients were diagnosed with alcohol-related liver conditions in the region last year - compared with 22 a decade earlier.

Mr Parker said that there were many reasons why the numbers had increased.

We didn't adopt this culture overnight and I don't think we will change it overnight Jim Parker Alcohol and drugs awareness team

He said: "We know that the relative price of alcohol has got substantially cheaper over the past 10 years.

"And licensing laws have only recently been updated."

Mr Parker said one of the biggest issues remained the need for a more sensible approach to the consumption of alcohol.

"We know that nationally there are concerns about binge drinking and we know that there is a drinking culture in Scotland that we have been trying to tackle for the past few years," he said.

"I think it is now embedded in our culture in Scotland that alcohol goes with almost everything.

"We need to inform people more about the dangers associated with heavy drinking."

'Health difficulties'

However, he admitted it would be a problem which would take time to tackle.

"The rise in people being diagnosed with liver disease is only one aspect of the health difficulties people can have from excessive drinking," he said.

"We didn't adopt this culture overnight and I don't think we will change it overnight.