The Government's policy on 24-hour alcohol licensing has been a mistake, says a new academic report.
The Nuffield Council on Bioethics says tax on alcohol should be raised, and the legal hours for selling alcohol made shorter.
Its report points out research showing that binge drinking can be reduced when the availability of alcohol is restricted.
The report's publication coincides with the formation of a 22-strong group of health organisations which will lobby for a 10 per cent increase in alcohol tax to combat binge drinking.
The Nuffield report says: "Increasing tax on alcohol and restricting hours of sale have been shown to be effective in reducing alcohol consumption.
"Yet the Government's alcohol strategy has focused on public information campaigns and voluntary labelling schemes, measures that have been shown not to be effective."
Gordon Brown has said that he would not hesitate to reverse policies on licensing, if findings support it.
Lord Krebs, the chairman of the committee which produced the report, said: "There is also an urgent need for an analysis of the effect of extended opening hours on levels of alcohol consumption, as well as on anti-social behaviour."
But Government Minister, Dawn Primarolo, appearing on BBC Breakfast, said the causes of excessive drinking were "complex", and claimed that only about one per cent of pubs had increased their hours since liberalisation in 2005.
The Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, announced a review of 24-hour alcohol licensing in September, saying he "would not hesitate" to change the policy if it encourages drunkenness and crime. The results of the review are expected to be announced in the New Year.
