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Re: "mind-altering"

"Always has been."

But "mind-altering"?

I think that's stretching the classical definition of "mind-altering" a bit. From that same article I posted an excerpty from earlier:

In the social revolutionary movements of the 60s and 70s, individual license to pursue lifestyle choices for pleasurable purposes, as long as no-one else got hurt [10] , gained legitimacy, and drug use quickly entrenched itself as an expression of that ‘freedom’ - ironically for some a ‘freedom’ to choose bondage as addiction took hold.
Perhaps some of those revolutionaries had detected some hypocrisy in the previous generation in which inebriation with alcohol was somehow considered differently, and enjoyed a degree of tolerance not afforded the other mind-altering drugs.
Indeed there is little difference today, when becoming ‘blotto’ is considered by some as a socially acceptable party pastime whereas to come under the influence of other substances is not. In reality, in a moral sense drunkenness with alcohol can be viewed in a similar way to being mind- altered on other substances.
The degree of harm may differ, but inasmuch as such abuse works against human goods like social interaction, the capacity to reason, and health, there is little difference. Young people in particular are acutely attentive to the detection of hypocrisy and will mercilessly expose it.
However, a distinction between alcohol and other drugs can be made.
The intention in using cocaine, heroin, marijuana, LSD or amphetamine involves deliberate mind-altering. An episode of use is not generally considered successful unless a certain goal has been achieved. And that goal is to experience significant mind alteration. Why else bother?
Furthermore, there is plenty of evidence to show that health, the capacity to reason and to socially interact, are adversely affected. However, the judicious use of alcohol has no such effect. In fact there is evidence to suggest that certain health benefits can be derived from sensible moderate use. Add to this the importance of an alcoholic drink in a religious context, viz. in Christian communion, and a legitimate role and use can be justified.

In light of the above I think your use of the term "mind-altering" is inappropriate in it's application to enjoying a beer or a glass of wine and furthermore lends itself to an unfortunate 'watering down' and a reduction in the impact the term "mind-altering" otherwise serves to communicate.