I'm 72 and have always drunk some, at home, these days a cocktail before lunch and before dinner. But always only one. And I'm learning German, for years now, reading Dickens, and bicycling 40 miles a week at least. My dad died at 59 from a heart attack. He drank too much as a young man and smoked too much. My brother died the same way at 54. He did a lot of drugs when young. I think so much depends on the psyche of the people involved. By itself alcohol like caffeine is not a boogeyman. But some people, many, turn it into one, For nerdy folks who don't I can see how it might help with a lot earthy problems, what I did get hooked on was anti-depressants for 25 years. Off now, but probably needed them while working.