I will add that the destructive effects of alcohol on society at large are greatly underestimated by most people. Its use in excessive amounts leads to bad decision making which in turns leads to injury, imprisonment, illness and death in multiple contexts. One particular area of concern is violence against women, where the link with alcoholism in men has been clearly demonstrated.
We talk a lot about the opioid crisis and the deaths it causes, but the number of deaths and hospital admissions linked to alcohol is far greater (alcohol being less toxic but much more widely consumed than opioids).
