If alcohol were invented today, it would be classified as a drug and restricted, according to Professor David Nutt, a government adviser who chairs the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs.

He compares its effects to a range of other drugs, including prescription-only and illegal drugs such as heroin.

Horizon: Do I drink too much? is on BBC Two at 2100 BST on Tuesday 13 October or watch afterwards at BBC iPlayer .