Quote:

Alcohol distillation likely originated in India. During 2000 BCE, people of India used an alcoholic drink called Sura.[3] Alcohol distillation was known to Islamic chemists as early as the eighth century.[4][5]

The Arab chemist, al-Kindi, unambiguously described the distillation of wine in a treatise titled as "The Book of the chemistry of Perfume and Distillations".[6][7][8]

The Persian physician, alchemist, polymath and philosopher Rhazes (854 CE – 925 CE)[9] is credited with the discovery of ethanol.[10][11]

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cannabinated said:

genetics + environment

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kr0nik0 said:

If I binge drink one night, I will want to continue drinking until I can't anymore. Therefore, I'm an alcoholic. And although I have more control over it nowadays after years of not drinking, I'm back to square one in a matter of a few days if I were to slip up.

Most of my friends, when they binge drink, the last thing they want to do is drink again the next day. It doesn't seem to even be a thought in their minds. They are not alcoholics, but are defined by AA as such.

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Asante said:

Quote:

the concentration is just so low that its irrelevant.

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The toxicity and carcinogenicity of acetaldehyde in those who drink alcohol is relevant.

I'm not out to give alcohol a bad name, I'm looking at it from the side of chemistry.  Every sip of alcohol you drink produces acetaldehyde. Acetaldehyde is a reactive aldehyde that messess with all sorts of functiuonal groups, and because of that disrupts all sorts of organic tissues. It is an irritant substance that can alkylate, crosslink and form ethers, thioethers, amines and amides and radicals.

Every sip of alcohol you take puts acetaldehyde in your entire system that does tissue damage from your skin to your blood to your bone marrow.  Most tissues in the human body are highgly regenerative, but others arent.  "Every glass kills brain cells" is very true.

Alcohol puts strain on all your tissues and some don't or barely regenerate, leading to cumulative damage caused by every drop of alcohol drank over a lifetime.

It doesnt do that because of its barbiturate like effect (GABA A Agonist) and it doesnt do that because of its Nitrous oxide like effect (NMDA Antagonism)  it does so because it is broken down to a toxic, carcinogenic metabolite by the liver, which too is damaged in the process.

We all get carcinogens in our everyday activities, but people who drink regularly are running GALLONS of toxic carcinogenic acetaldehyde through their system every year. Not milligrams of carcinogens, GALLONS.

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searching said:

One of the strongest predictors of alcoholism is a person's natural tolerance to alcohol.

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Heinrik said:

You guys clearly don't understand how addiction works.

When you're an addict, you're not in control, your subconscious is in control and it is more powerful than anything you can imagine, it's like a powerful primitive beast you have to tame, logic and reason won't do a thing in helping you.

It doesn't matter if you're rich or poor, intelligent or stupid, anyone can be affected by it.

This is a psychedelic community, you guys should know better, apperently psychedelics didn't teach you about compassion and empathy.

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staytrippy420 said:

I've had lots of vices over the years.. Xanax, codeine, cocaine, alcohol, ect, ect.
But these days just weed, kratom and mushrooms

Im just surprised by the OP. You can buy liquor everywhere in the US, gas stations, grocery stores, LIQUOR stores..
To think that most people don't have an issue with it is crazy to me. Go people watch in front of the clubs on a Friday night, you'll see some crazy shit go down.

Now thats not to say everyone who has a problem is going to be a fuck up.
Theres lots of people addicted to hard drugs that still hold down decent jobs and shit..
IMO alcohol is a hard drug in the same class as crack and heroin.

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Barnaby said:

Why do most people get hooked on caffeine?  Because they are idiot American worker robots.  Like Bill Maher said, it is the perfect drug for the worker.  Get shit done for the master.  A smaller dose of meth.

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