Most people do not realize that alcohol is the only drug, and it is a drug, that may cause a severe addict to die if denied access to their drug of choice. Because that denial causes such a traumatic shock to the system the body shuts down completely. No other drug will kill the addict if they are denied access and forced to cold turkey from their habit.
Alcohol also is very destructive to internal organs over prolonged usage. They cause the same exact problems as illegal drug usage does. Issues within the family structure, as well as, costs to society as a whole, in terms of medical issues they create and criminal activity that occur from its usage, such as rape, murder and even accidental death.
As with anything we introduce into our body, it is always the excess that creates the problems. In limited usage the negative affects are lessened by the degree of consumption. Limited to a certain level it may even provide a degree of benefit, over indulgence is when the problems start to arise.
Tell me, bro spent 17 days in the hospital. When they released them my sis whose backyard he lives in, in a RV so uses her address, had him brought to her house, took 2 large men to haul him up a set of steep stairs, they live on the side of a mountain in Pigeon Forge area and dumped on her love seat, she had to go to the hospital and pick up the porta potty. He lives like a pig smell and all. Scares her grands. She finally got him back in his RV after months. Chaps my hide we have to pay disability for him which he uses to buy more booze. At 50+ no one can control what he does.