The number of women arrested for being drunk and disorderly has risen by more than 50 per cent in the last five years, police are reporting. The chief executive of Alcohol Concern, Don Shenker, has said, 'There's no doubt that the number of women binge-drinking has gone up - they are following the example of young men. The trouble is that women's bodies cannot handle these large amounts of alcohol.' Discounted drinks, two-for-one offers and supermarket deals are thought to be among the contributing factors. Excess drinking leads to higher incidences of unsafe sex, but because women's bodies are affected differently by alcohol than men's it can also increase the risk of some cancers, digestive problems, strokes and coronary heart disease. More on the Alcohol Concern site.

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