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I really have a hard time believing there are all these people out there drinking alcohol just for the taste. I don't know that I've ever met anyone like that. For that matter, most people who don't drink alcohol don't really like the taste when they do try it unless the taste is masked by fruity sweeteners or some other taste that hides the alcohol. Most have to acquire a taste for alcoholic beverages like beer or a nice red wine. And as for not getting a buzz after a couple of glasses of wine with a meal, I say bull. Even just that much gives you a nice warm buzz. It feels good. It slightly alters your perception. I gives you a nice feeling of well being. Personally, I really like doing that. It's a great way to unwind and enhance the enjoyment of a good meal and whoever I am sharing that experience with. I'd be lying to myself though if I said I was only drinking the wine for the taste. There are all sorts of good tasting drinks with no alcohol in them I could choose. If I choose the wine it's because I want that nice warm buzz that comes along with it.

You said something in a previous post about people enjoying the "social aspect" of drinking. What do you think that "social aspect" is? People drink at get togethers because it enhances the experience. It enhances the experience because the alcohol lowers inhibitions and provides a sense of well being. It alters perceptions. It makes not so pretty girls look pretty. It makes not so funny jokes funny. People talk more, laugh more, and have more fun because they are intoxicated, even if just mildly so. Are they all just drinking for the taste? Heck no. If they say they are they are lying to you and themselves.

If anyone who uses an intoxicant with the intent of altering his perception is abusing that intoxicant than just about everyone who ever drinks any alcohol is abusing it. Certainly anyone who drinks alcohol to unwind or enhance the enjoyment of something is drinking to alter their perceptions. They may never use those particular words or think about it in those terms, but that is exactly what they are doing.

Amen to that.

"If anyone who uses an intoxicant with the intent of altering his perception is abusing"

would you think is definition of abuse is a bit, how to say, overrated? (not sure if this word aply here, my english dictionnary is not up to date!!)

I really have a hard time believing there are all these people out there drinking alcohol just for the taste. I don't know that I've ever met anyone like that. For that matter, most people who don't drink alcohol don't really like the taste when they do try it unless the taste is masked by fruity sweeteners or some other taste that hides the alcohol. Most have to acquire a taste for alcoholic beverages like beer or a nice red wine.

The "logic" seems to be that if even ONE person drinks for the taste, that's enough of a difference from marijuana to justify the very different legal statuses of the two drugs.