Most people who drink alcoholic beverages suffer no ill effects. They drink moderately with meals and in social settings. "For most people alcohol is a pleasant accompaniment to social activities. Moderate alcohol use is not harmful for most adults," says the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA).

In the United States, two-thirds of adults drink alcoholic beverages at least occasionally, a figure that is similar to consumption patterns in other nations. For most drinkers, alcohol is an enjoyable addition to many facets of their daily lives; it creates no problems and does not endanger their health. For a small percentage of people, however, drinking can be dangerous. These drinkers run a very high risk of becoming addicted to alcohol. John Lawson, in Friends You Can Drop: Alcohol and Other Drugs, explains that this human malady, known today as alcoholism, is...