as with anything, the harmfullness of alcohol depends on who is drinking it. i suffered an intolerable early childhood with a raging alcoholic. alcoholism ruins lives, families, friendships, EVERYTHING. so i grew up absolutely loathing alcohol and anyone who drank.
but as i have matured, i see the benefit (if any at all) in a few drinks here and there. studies show a glass of red wine every day is beneficial to the heart, but its the alkaloids in fermented grapes, not the alcohol itself thats beneficial. i realize people are able to sit down and have glass of scotch to calm them. but honestly, how many people do you know are satisfied after one glass? i feel we lack self control when it comes to alcohol.
i still think it should be illegal on some levels such as selling it in restuarants and bars and grocery stores. honestly i think alcohol should be consumed in the comforts of one's home. alcohol abuse is america's number one drug problem and it can hurt everyone because of its availability and ho-hum status.
HOWEVER
i believe we as young americans drink to get drunk.this is what makes alchohol dangerous. you dont get run over by buzzed driver, but by drunk driver. buzzed teenagers dont set fire to thier homes, drunk teenagers do. but why do we get drunk?i think this is due to restrictions on alcohol in general. it becomes more enticing as it becomes less availible. and when we do get our hands on it, we push it to access to make up for the restrictions we have been carrying and abiding with angst and anger. as young people we experiment. we need to. but too many of us do not learn from our mistakes and we keep pushing ourselves over the edge until we have fallen completely.
i drink occasionally. maybe once or twice a week on a two-or three week cycle. honestly, after seeing what alcohol can do to us as a society,, i am wary of becoming my father and limiting myself. i like to drink, but i seldom get drunk. i drink until a certain poitn, when a certain feeling sers in. i give it time and monitor myself. then i stop. i dont get beligerent, i get tipsy. i can still enjoy parties but without puking. drunk people arent fun unless you are too. so i drink a little the put it down. i do this mostly out of fear, but partly out of self respect and responsibility.
i think alcohol, like pot, is not for everyone. it should be used responisbly and diligenltly and you should fist learn your limits and orient yourself with it before you move on full throttle into the realm of drunken stupors.
anyway, thats my rant.
so honestly i am contraticting myself