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Alcohol is one of the most dangerous drugs, yet its presence is ubiquitous in social settings and celebrations (theconversation.com)

submitted 2 days ago by Wren@lemmy.today to c/wildfeed@sh.itjust.works

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Few substances are as deeply woven into everyday life as alcohol. It is a fixture at holiday celebrations, work-related social gatherings, sporting events, airports, and brunch or dinner tables. A raised glass for a toast, the ubiquitous wedding open bar or drinks shared during a Fourth of July celebration all demonstrate how deeply alcohol has become embedded in social customs and cultural traditions.

Yet alcohol contributes to millions of deaths globally each year and is linked to cancer, liver disease, unintentional accidents, violence and, importantly, dependence and addiction. Despite this, the disconnect between alcohol’s cultural role and its serious health burden is striking.

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[-] Bluescluestoothpaste@sh.itjust.works 1 points 4 hours ago

Yeah but it doesn't have to be alcohol like it doesn't have to be heroin. Alcohol is worse than heroin by just about any scientific metric, and yet we just choose to view them very differently because of tradition.

[-] schipelblorp@sh.itjust.works 1 points 4 hours ago

Isn't heroin, like, insanely addictive?

[-] Bluescluestoothpaste@sh.itjust.works 1 points 4 hours ago

Yes, almost as addictive as alcohol even!

[-] schipelblorp@sh.itjust.works 1 points 3 hours ago

I honestly don't know about that. I don't want to fall for drug paranoia propaganda, but there's people who literally take heroin substitutes every day, but I've never heard of anyone addicted to non-alcoholic beer.

this post was submitted on 06 Jul 2026

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