A Brief History of Alcohol Use and Abuse in Human History

Abstract

There is clear archaeological evidence that dates the production and consumption of alcoholic beverages back ~20,000 years. Over the millennia the techniques of fermenting various organic materials have been gradually refined, and now there are thousands of different alcohol beverages that are produced, both commercially and noncommercially, throughout the world. Mankind’s relationship with alcohol has been decidedly mixed, with its use associated both with celebration and with despair. The perceived salutary effects of alcohol in human culture have been celebrated in song and prose. In contrast, the negative effects of alcohol on behavior have led to its prohibition by various societies and religions since its use first became widespread in human culture many thousands of years ago. Independently of the arguments for and against the ingestion of alcoholic beverages, it is clear that its prohibition in free societies is not only impossible but in fact may also have unintended consequences such as the growth in organized crime and tragic side effects of consuming unsafe homemade products. Therefore, even with a growing public awareness of the adverse consequences of alcohol use and a justifiable tightening of laws that regulate its sale and distribution and punish dangerous alcohol-related activities such as driving while under the influence, it is clear that alcohol consumption will remain common throughout the world for the foreseeable future.