THE impact that problem drinkers have on their friends, family and community deserves greater attention, according to a report, which finds that one in two people have been harmed as a result of someone else's alcohol consumption.

The study by Alcohol Focus Scotland examines for the first time how alcohol impacts on people around the drinker, causing stress, distress and harm to family members, friends, colleagues and the wider community.

The charity says more needs to be done to raise awareness about the knock-on effects of alcohol abuse on others, after the research found that one in three people report having heavy drinkers in their lives.

Dr Evelyn Gillan, Chief Executive of Alcohol Focus Scotland, said: "Our research shows just how far-reaching alcohol harm is. One in two Scots are affected in some way by other people's drinking. This can range from feeling uneasy at aggressive behaviour on the bus, picking up the slack at work because a colleague has called in sick with a hangover, or children living with heavy drinking parents and the strain this inevitably places on family life.

"Many of these problems are not being reported, either because they are simply tolerated or because they are going on behind closed doors.

"When people began to understand the negative effects of passive smoking, action was taken.

"It's time we started to think beyond the individual drinker to consider how we can protect people from the second hand effects of drinking."

Alcohol Focus Scotland also found that young people under the age of 35 were four times more likely to report harm from others in public places, such as on the street or in the workplace.

Sam Anderson, Director at The Junction, a young people's health and wellbeing project in Edinburgh, which took part in the research, said: "Young people are often identified as one of the groups who are 'problem drinkers'.

"However, our work with young people shows us that they are often negatively affected by someone else's drinking.

"That could be a parent, a friend, or a stranger in the street. This can cause stress, worry and in more extreme cases, depression, panic attacks and self-harm."

It comes as Scots have been urged to take part in the world's biggest drugs survey by completing a questionnaire on their consumption of everything from legal highs and caffeine to cannabis and harder drugs.

The Global Drug Survey is available at www.globaldrugsurvey.com