There has been a lot of discussion in the last few years about the continuing problem of alcohol and the effect it has on society .... Should we treat alcohol as if it were an illicit drug? Some of the promoters of harsh restrictions on the sale and marketing of certain alcoholic beverages (restrictions such as advertising bans and higher taxes) have justified their proposals with the erroneous assertion that alcohol is no different than illegal drugs .... There have even been stories in some of the media attempting to equate alcohol with the use and/or abuse of illegal substances such as marijuana, ....