According to a government study, as compared to workers, bosses booze but smoke less.

When it comes to workers, manual workers consume about 10.7 units but it is 13.5 units for professionals a week.

Office for National Statistics survey states that once a week more than eight and six units are consumed by about 15 per cent women and 23 per cent men who are high-flyers. But when it came to blue collared people, 19 per cent men and 11 per cent women did the same.

But when it comes to smoking, 15 per cent of people smoke who are higher on the social ladder and 29 per cent of working class people indulge in it.

Chris Sorek, chief executive of alcohol awareness charity Drinkaware, said, “Meetings are situations where professionals feel under pressure to drink and many de-stress with a drink at home after a working day.”

According to the guidelines set for daily alcohol, for women it is three units and for men it is four units and it should not exceed.

In 2000, the percentage of adults who wanted to quit smoking was 72 per cent but now it is 63 per cent and active smokers are about 21 per cent of adults.

Amanda Sandford, of anti-smoking group ASH, said, “The smoking rate shows how hard it is to quit.”