All long as far as history enables us to know, wine, beer and other popular alcoholic beverages have always played a significant role in our daily life.
This is why every time we go through any historical records, we always come across events in which alcoholic beverages were used.
In some cultures wine is considered good for meals and while in some others beer plays that same role.
This is why in some sense it may be unrealistic to render an abusive attribute to their consumption.
When we talk about alcohol consumption today, what comes in mind is any beverage that contains alcohol.
However it should be noted that the debate has never been about beer or wine but alcohol.
As science evolves, alcoholic beverages are produced more refined and as a result the percentage of alcohol has greatly increased.
This is why given our present amount of consumption of alcohol the question "Is alcohol addictive" arises.
The term addiction may seem to have varying meanings from substance to substance and from person to person.
However some major features which characterize addiction outlined by an expert committee of the World Health Organization may help us out.

• an overpowering need (compulsion) to continue taking the drug and to obtain it by any means
• a tendency to increase the dose
• a psychic (psychological) and generally a physical dependence on the effects of the drug
• a harmful effect on the individual and on society.
  

In light of these points it is easy to point out that most of the alcoholic beverages are likely to produce such effects.
On consumption, alcohol acts as a depressant in the central nervous system.
The effects of alcohol on consumption are fast because alcohol is quickly absorbed into the blood and hence the brain.
This is most of the times the desired consequences of alcohol consumption.
However as to any other substance, the body can become tolerant to alcohol.
This means more quantities are required to produce the usual desired effects.
In a long run, dependence is developed and at this point, the harmful effects are felt in families, at the high way and in the society.
In an individual perspective, it can be argued that some people have control over the amount of alcohol they consume.
Globally alcohol causes 3.
2% of all deaths or 1.
8 million deaths annually and accounts for 4.
0% of disease burden.
Many of these deaths are the result of injuries caused by hazardous and harmful drinking.
Of the total number of alcohol-attributable deaths, 32.
0% are from unintentional injuries, and 13.
7% are from intentional injuries.
This means that about half of the deaths attributable to alcohol are from injuries.
The advertisement of alcohol is playing a great role in the increasing hazardous drinking habits.
The question that comes in mind is "Is alcohol doing good or bad in our society?" or better still "What should we tell our growing up Children about alcohol?"