Alcohol is legal to buy and use in every state (if you are old enough). But it is a drug, similar in many ways to illegal drugs. Alcohol has the ability to give people a pleasurable experience. It also has the same ability to harm us if we use it too much.

When we first we drink alcohol it may make us feel good, and it is socially acceptable. In the beginning we may not have any bad experiences with it. This makes us more likely to want to use it again. Scientists call this "positive reinforcement". It just means that when we have a pleasurable experience we tend to repeat it.

Eventually, like all other drugs, we may begin to have bad experiences if we continue to use alcohol. This is more likely to happen if we begin using alcohol often and in larger amounts. We may experience hangovers or other feelings of being sick after drinking. We may do things while we're drinking that we're sorry for afterward. We may even begin to drink and drive. Drinking and driving may result in an arrest, an accident, or both.

So, why do some of us increase our alcohol intake? Why do some of us continue to drink, even when we have bad experiences? Alcohol is an addictive drug. This means that our bodies may come to depend on having alcohol. We may begin to have to use more for the same effect. When we're addicted to a drug, we will continue to use it.

Alcoholism is a disease. About 10% of the population are likely to become addicted to alcohol. Because our bodies or physical make-ups are similar to those of others in our biological family, this often happens to people who have one or both parents, or a grandparent, who is an alcoholic. This can happen even if the person was not raised around the alcoholic family member.

Alcohol is in a class of drugs that are called the "sedative-hypnotics". Other drugs that are in this class are: Seconal, Amytal, Dilaudid, Rohypnol and Valium. You may have heard these drugs referred to as "downers". Because drinking alcohol is an accepted part of American life, many people become addicted to alcohol.

If you are concerned about your alcohol use, or that of a loved one, contact your healthcare provider. Consult counselors at an employee assistance program if one is available to you. Or call the National Council of Alcoholism at (800) NCA-CALL for more information.

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