The legal age for drinking should be raised from 18 to 21, according to a new survey.
The BBC Newsnight survey, which quizzed 1015 people earlier this month, revealed that 51% think the drinking age should be raised.
However David Poley, chief executive of drinks industry body Portman Group, said: "If 18-year-olds can vote, smoke and go to war, they should be trusted to drink responsibly."
Graham Rowson, licensee at the Plungington Tavern in Preston, is against a rise in the drinking age but a snap survey of his customers revealed five out of six were in favour of a ban on under-21s drinking alcohol.
"Beer's cheaper than water in some of the supermarkets at the moment so no wonder they're getting drunk," he said.
"Children should be taught sensible drinking at school as part of the National Curriculum."
Dave Daley, manager of the Castle in Blackpool, added: "The pubs and supermarkets are being made scapegoats for an underlying drugs problem at the moment.
"Cocaine is as cheap as beer and the government should be tackling the real problems faced by the young, not sweeping it under the carpet."
The survey revealed that only 7% blame the Government for Britain's binge drinking problems while 31% blame the parents.
Not surprisingly most interviewees in the 18-24 age bracket disagreed with a change in current laws.
The survey also showed 56% would be in favour of a total ban on alcohol advertising.
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