As a nation, it turns out we are what we drink.

It's not how much we drink necessarily, but how we drink.

There's almost a cult around it at times in people's lives.

That struck me as not uniquely British, but quite profoundly British.

For many of us, the essence of a good time is a glass of something, and of a better time,

a second glass.

We may get legless, but it isn't harmless.

Heavy drinking costs the NHS about £3.5 billion a year.

Something like 40% of violent incidents recorded are thought to involve someone who's under the influence of alcohol.

So what, for good or ill, does our drink habits say about us, Brits?

You're listening to Stories of Our Times from the Times and the Sunday Times. I'm David Aronovich.

Today, Boo's Britain,

a country on the lash.

A confession. Apart from the inevitable teenage mishap, I never really got alcohol as a pastime.

I'm no Puritan and have come to appreciate a decent red, which is about a continent away from

the bladded up football fans who trashed Lester Square a few weeks ago. But that's exactly it.

Alongside the fun and partying,

we have the A&E Awards suffering the weekend binge surge

and the slow, desperate, self-pickling in tidy suburbs.

It is often described as one of life's simple pleasures, having a drink.

England and Wales have seen a worrying spike in alcohol-related deaths according to newly released figures.

Young people are coming in a day basis, worse where from alcohol, and that we're seeing some serious illnesses and serious injuries occurring.

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