Comparing drinking beer to taking heroin or crack cocaine is irrational, according to an industry chief.
Brigid Simmonds, chief executive of the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA), was speaking following a study published today suggesting alcohol is more damaging to society than class A drugs such as heroin or crack.
Simmonds said: "The vast majority of people know it's just not rational to say that enjoying a social beer with friends in the pub or glass of wine over dinner has the moral or societal equivalence of injecting heroin or smoking a crack pipe.
"Alcohol misuse amongst a minority is an issue that the industry is working with government to address. This deliberately sensationalist headline grabbing language risks distorting debate, and alienates sensible people from discussing the sort of balanced and proportionate actions that do need to be taken."
The report, published in the Lancet medical journal, and led by former government drugs adviser David Nutt, suggests that alcohol causes more harm than any other drug.
It also suggests that tobacco is more dangerous than cannabis and LSD.