Would alcohol be as popular if it weren't a beverage?

When people say, "I don't use drugs", almost never do they include alcohol in that. Alcohol, which is a drug, is always referred to separately, in large part because it's a beverage. Most people, if asked, will agree that alcohol is a drug, but it's not really categorized as one in their mind on a day-to-day basis. No one has a glass of wine at lunch and thinks, "I'm doing drugs now." But, if alcohol as a liquid simply didn't exist, but exactly the same effect could be had in pill form, I don't think people would be taking a pill with their dinner, and washing it down with water.

For many people, "drugs," with no other qualifier, is just short-hand for "illegal drugs." Plenty of people who say they don't use drugs also take prescriptions or OTC medications.
It will be interesting in the next few years to see where marijuana ends up on that spectrum. Still largely illegal (federally), but if that changes, will people still consider it a "drug" in the same way they do now, or will it fall into a separate category like drugs that are mostly legal?
- There's people already, which smoke recreationally and/or advocate for legalization, that already don't see it in the same category as other 'harder' drugs. And, it hasn't always been illegal federally.
  All this to say, it'll probably end up near alcohol on the spectrum you describe
Alcohol is something that for a very long time was associated with civilisation itself, it was and is very important. It's just embedded into most societies of course people don't consider it drug.
- It was the only way to make water drinkable in many places
  "Small beer" wasn't made for funsies
Also coffee, which is a stimulant.
- Caffeine (including Tea and Coffee sources) is by far the most widely abused drug.
I agree, but there's a significant difference
I love wine, beer and whisky and pretty much anything except vodka (because it's boring)
I love it because of the flavours, the mouth-feel, the way I can pair drinks with food to enhance the enjoyment of both
I've never had coke, mushrooms, ketamine, weed or anything else that made me think "wow, this is yum! I reckon it'd go beautifully with a nicely aged cheddar, or oysters, or a perfectly cooked lamb shoulder"
You've inspired me. Next time I decline a drink I'll say no thanks, I don't do drugs.
The only drug I do is either prescription drugs, or the caffeine I get from the occasional chocolate.

I think you're probably right, especially now that snorting snuff and smoking are significantly less common. Although if you put it in vape form...

Although if you put it in vape form…
Vaportini was a short-lived trend that did not end up taking off.
- Well duh, how's that supposed to fit in my pocket
- Like, from P&R?

You can drink alcohol? I thought you had to boof it.

Shouldn't you be slowly eroding the government instead of browsing Lemmy, Brett?
boofing it is peak commitment to running shit on the bare metal

Snorting tea, coffee and broccoli would be less popular too.

Alcohol: now in XXL suppository

Quick, where can I get one of these? And does it vibrate??
Already exists: soak a tampon in vodka, then use it as suppo.
Easy high, cheap, and taste doesn't matter.
- Great way to die from intoxication as well!
- I was thinking more BD David XL size (think 3x 12oz/350ml cans)

I think of it was a pill it would be waaaayy more popular. A lot of people avoid alcohol because it’s disgusting, including me, but if I could skip having to drink disgusting liquid to get drunk I’d consume a lot more of it. Snorting probably would be more popular too as long as it didn’t smell bad or burn to do. I like alcohol and hate drinking so I don’t drink but if drinking is taken out of the picture…. I’d be down

It's the opposite for me. I don't want the effect of alcohol, I just want a nice drink to complement my meal and is hard to find something that in neither sugary or alcoholic.
Have you tried boofing?
- No and it sounds disgusting so I'm not even looking that up

To flip your question, I’m a massive fan of craft beer/real ales/etc …if it wasn’t for the alcohol ingredient, would I walk in to ten different pubs and try all the IPAs/stouts/pilsners I do cause “I haven’t had this one before”? Probably not…

Cigarettes, pipes, hookah and lots of other forms of smoking were and are popular as a social lubricant, if that’s what you’re getting at

Snorting and chewing too

Considering how many drugs are taken in those other ways and how popular they are, I don't think the method of delivery is the issue.

How would the average German man socialize if alcohol did not exist? I'm not even kidding, I've never seen it be absent at any Western table. We should be able to slowly but surely become capable of being normal human beings without needing to be at least tipsy, but at this point in Western civilization it's a "necessary" crutch so I assume it would be used regardless of the method.

Before water could be reliably sterilised beer was the only thing people could drink safely. So it would have been the only thing a lot of people drank for their whole lives after they stopped breastfeeding which I think will have contributed quite strongly to it's popularity.

Like I bet if alcohol was something you had to snort...

This reminded me of this ancient internet video where a few guys (allegedly) "inhale" alcohol by adding dry ice and breathing in the vapors. Doesn't look to be very effective, but if it was, I'd at least try it.

I got drunk eating rum Popsicles and joked "how can I be drunk if I didn't drink it"
I used to use a twisted up plastic water bottle to inhale alcohol vapors. It was alright, but drinking it is better

That's what I've theorized for a long time. One of the reasons alcohol is more popular than other drugs is how easy it is to take, that and the fact that it is legal.

Obligatory parks and recreation

Skip a minute into it though for some reason the clip starts way sooner than it needs to.

There is a really good comedy skit from the german youtube channel Bohemian Browser Ballet, about what if heroin was used like beer in germany. Including the social stigma of not consuming. That really speaks of my experiences not drinking. Youtube Invideous

Alcohol < Drugs

You mean like other drugs that you have to burn and then inhale the fumes, which stink and make you cough, especially when you start out using them?

Well, tobacco exists.

I'm pretty sure you don't understand the science involved. "Alcohol" must be a beverage. There's no other way to take that particular drug.

e: OK geniuses... make some powdered EtOH. I'd love to see it and I'll duplicate your efforts if you're successful.

e2: oh, some of these brave souls must be injecting it. Please be careful with dosage.

Bro, this is clearly a fantasy scenario where we have a non-liquid substance with the same effects as alcohol. No one's asking you to make tequila fun dip for real.
Look straight up, WAY up. That's the whole point of the conversation going over your head.
The question is NOT "Can we make more forms of alcohol?"
It IS "Is alcohol's high social acceptance strongly influenced by it being a beverage?"
Yeah he said "-if- it wasn't a beverage" its just a hypothetical
Look up alcohol powder
Or inhale it...
You have no idea what you're talking about.
- Oh yeah.
  But this whole thing seems like, "what if my grandma was a bike" so fuck it.