(See: Drugs in American Society, 5th and 6th editions, Erich Goode, McGraw-Hill, 1999/2005. Chapters 4 and 8, and Drugs, Society, and Human Behavior (7th ed), Ray and Ksir, Mosby, 1993. Chapters 9 and 10)

The alcoholic is the Typical Addict

• Behavioral dependence is a reality for a sizeable minority who drink heavily despite the costs
• ALL Drinkers of alcohol ARE DRUG USERS!
• The American public does not equate alcohol use with drug use
• Production, Sale, and Purchase not a crime in most places and for most people
• Production and Distribution has been illicit (1920-1933)

Alcohol was discovered in 8327 B.C. on a warm afternoon by "Grog" who returned to his cave and drank the fermented milk of a coconut that had been cracked and left out in the sun. ;-) (it's a joke)

• Beer and Berry wines: 6400 B.C.
• Grape wine: 300-400 B.C.
• Mead (Honey): Paleolithic Age circa 8000 B.C. (Oldest?, though some suggest otherwise)
• Native Americans brewed beer circa 1400

Fermentation:

• A natural process: Most fruits and airborne yeast
• Fruit--sugar + yeast and Water==> recombines carbon, hydrogen and oxygen to produce ethyl alcohol and carbon dioxide.
• C₆H₁₂O₆ (Glucose) + H₂O==(Yeast)==>2C₂H₅OH (ethyl alcohol) + 2CO₂
• At about 15-20% ETOH the alcohol level kills the yeast and fermentation stops
• Alcohol's basic effects: Euphoria, Sedation, Narcosis, Pain relief. It is almost universally accepted in some form or other for some purpose or other.
• Cereal Grains can also be used: starch versus sugar- The Malting Process:

1. Malting (sprouting) produces enzyme
2. Slow drying kills sprout, preserves enzyme
3. Crush, mix with water, enzyme converts starch to sugar
4. Corn added to increase starch levels