I had a couple cousins..( They are both gone now..and I loved them both!! )
One who was closer to my age....we used to grab a bottle of Ripple...and drive around and drink. About half-way thru...he was crazy drunk...and I was just buzzed. My Uncle, his dad was a full blood Indian...his mom my aunt was at least near 50% Indian.
I myself...Well my grandma was at least 50% Indian too......but I could handle booze way better than those cousins. I think...there is something to Indians not metabolizing alcohol the same as white folks.
I think there is some scientific data out there...that supports that too. But I don't know for sure...
I think there is some scientific data out there...that supports that too. But I don't know for sure...
There is a lot of scientific evidence that there is a connection between ancestry and alcoholism. There is a map of estimated years of life lost to alcohol abuse at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Alcohol_use_disorders_world_map_-_DALY_-_WHO2002.svg
It clearly shows that the middle east enjoys the lowest incidence, and as one moves farther from there the incidence increases. Some scientists speculate this has to do with number of generations exposed to alcohol - that there is a natural selection process whereby, due to early death, alcohol abusers are gradually eliminated from the gene pool.
Native Americans apparently were not exposed to alcohol before Europeans arrived, and so the process of weeding-out those unable to handle alcohol is in its early stages.
So Native Americans have higher rates of alcohol abuse. But, like all human beings, they have free will to indulge or not. And the consequences should not be a surprise.