johnnyboy, i see what u r saying. and u r right. christ, u get help from the NHS to stop smoking but none for booze and as far as im concerned its just as bad a drug.
Smoking's much more black and white, there is nothing to redeem it (and I'm a smoker). Most people who drink, on the other hand, don't have a problem.
Both me and the Mrs drink moderately on an almost daily basis, lots of people I know do. I have plenty of friends, on the other hand, who would be horrified at the thought of having a drink every day, but think nothing of going to the pub on a Friday and having six drinks. I know people who only drink in the pub and people who only drink at home.
You always hear people saying that if you need a drink, you have a problem, but I don't buy that at all. The more pertinent question is, does your drinking adversely affect the rest of your life? I mean, I know retired people who have a couple of pints before dinner (or a spritzer - for the laydee), wine with dinner and maybe a nip or two of whiskey before bed and they do this every day. But they're active and enjoying their days too so it's silly to say they have a problem.
I reckon if you're productive and active and not a complete prick, you can drink all you want. Hard thing to do, though, especially as you get older. When I was younger, I did a lot of drinking. Couple of pints once or twice during the week, then out for ten or twelve pints Thursday (college night out) and again, Friday or Saturday, sometimes Sunday, too. I had a part time job when I was in college and I was still living at home so I could afford it.
Now that I think of it, it was the arrival of the boy that convinced me hangovers were no longer such a good idea, but I reckon it would have happened anyway. I still have a few extra beers on a Friday night but when you have to be up for under 9 hurling the following morning, it's not the same.