Most likely? Because smoking is inherently dangerous in terms of cancer risk, and carries a very strong perception of increasing risk to bystanders as well. In addition, it’s physical addictive qualities mean that a light/moderate user is at a fairly high risk of becoming a heavy/chronic user.
Alcohol, by contrast, is something that doesn’t increase disease risk with light/moderate use, and a great many people are able to handle sustained light/moderate use without becoming addicted or causing problems.
So basically, tobacco is seen as a bigger issue because it’s far, far more difficult to use it lightly/socially without it becoming a larger problem in some way.
Okay. I think I got and commented on that part of the post. I suppose I’d have to ask if he was expecting everyone who posted here to reinforce that here or be in violation of expectations.
I’m relatively new here and as unaware that some people are tired of reading about the harm alcohol does. There’s a solution to that.
To reiterate that education and support for healthy attitudes is the apparent solution to the problematic use of alcohol. And to reinforce that many of the costs of using it are hidden ones because of the denial that accompanies it’s use.
Considering that the amount of damage it causes by relatively few users then, hardly seems offensive. If it doesn’t apply to anyone here then there’s no need to take offense.
Now, MOL, take responsibility for your buzz and don’t let me kill it. Heh. You and I have to get along long enough for me to share my foolproof onion ring recipe with you. (You can even have a couple of drinks while you’re fixing them. Won’t killl my buzz a bit if you do.)
Recognize that this isn’t the thread for that discussion? :dubious: Open another thread…it’s free, ya know.
This is not the Alcohol Education thread. It’s not the Prohibitionist thread. It’s not the X% of Cops think Alcohol is the problem to everything thread. It’s the ‘Hey, I like a drink now and then and seem to be doing okay with it.’ thread. I know, I re-read the OP…and I wrote it with that in mind.
Ah, you see Kite, the SDMB has a long, time-honored tradition of self-righteous teetotaling. Whenever a thread about drinking appears, it either is about, or rapidly becomes about, what a horrible thing alcohol is. People will drum up stories about their abusive uncle who was a drunk, there will be declarations that drinking is stupid, that anyone who drinks is stupid, that having a sip of beer will alter your mentality and turn you into a monster, and anything beyond champagne at a wedding is a serious problem, and if you ever, ever drink with the intent of getting gasp drunk, you are worse than Hitler and all the chefs at The Olive Garden combined.
It really is asinine and annoying, so when someone starts a thread that says “You know, a lot of people drink and don’t have a problem,” and folks still come in to testify about how horrible alcohol is, it gets, well… annoying. I’m sure you’re a swell guy, but this is not what this thread is for, and we don’t want to hear it. Go back to AA, and the rest of us will have some wine while somehow, perhaps magically, refraining from beating our wives.
As a diabetic, I’ve never had a doctor tell me I needed to abstain from drinking, and I’ve gone to some of the best diabetic docs in the country. Be careful with it, yes. Abstain, no. And the “be careful” part was pretty much the same advise they give to non-diabetics - 1-2 drinks a day and all that.
I drink a couple of beers or glasses of wine just about every day, and have not had any issues at all.
I’ve probably told this story in every thread about alcoholism, but I don’t give a shit:
My aunt was an alcohol. After years of abuse, she finally got sober, got into detox and was doing well – until she got sick with some kind of infection. Her body still hadn’t recovered enough from all the abuse, and she ended up dying of organ failure. So don’t tell me it never kills anyone. (And as for the obits, I highly doubt they’re going to post that someone was a lush :rolleyes:)
Now, does that mean drinking in and of itself is wrong or dangerous? No. It’s when you feel the NEED to go out and get shitfaced, that it means you have a problem. Or if you have a habit of constantly puking/pissing/shitting on yourself.
MeanOldLady, what the fuck is your problem? Where did anyone here say that everyone who drinks is an alcoholic? No, what SOME people are annoyed about is when others bug them for not drinking. That’s all. You have a drink, someone else doesn’t, and it’s all hunky-dory.
(I don’t drink much because of my meds, plus it makes me really, really sleepy. And like I’ve said, I do have a family history of alcohol abuse, that I personally am wary of. Again, it’s not so black and white.)
Oh puhlease, woman, simmer yourself. 1) Way to not get Kite’s post. That was awesome. 2) I’m not in the mood to quibble about alcoholism, or who drinks what, and I don’t give three shits about whether or not you drink, or what meds you’re on. I’m just saying the SDMB is home to many a crazy ass discussion about the sauce, and it’s plain silly that the one “I drink and I’m normal” thread is being attacked by the Anti-Saloon League.
I would just like to say that although I’m not a drinker I have no issue with others drinking. In fact I’m fairly sure I spend more on alcohol than any other non drinker around.
I drank more than I should have in college. Once I was out, I slowed down a lot. Seems fairly typical.
Currently, a great pleasure in my life is to ride my mountain bike on a bit of singletrack followed by 1-2 microbrews.
First, the riding clears my mind of most of the chatter that I carry around. Pay attention or get hurt. Works for me! In a zen-like state of calm, the mild buzz from a fine beer or two borders on ecstasy.
A single beer after dinner is nice too.
I can count the number of times I’ve had more than 3 beers consecutively in the last 5 years on one hand. It’s so far from being a problem as to be ridiculous.
