People spend tons and tons of money on something just to feel different for the day/night. But once the next day comes around, reality strikes back and we are left feeling crappy, aka a hangover. Even worse, society pushes through advertising on how "great" it is through luxurious marketing. When really, there is nothing about it that makes it awesome. This is only my honest opinion on this commodity. I respect everyone's opinion as each individual is different in their own unique way. It was always something I thought recently after being awakened to the world at large.
If this seems like a doomer post, I offer my sincere apologies as that was never my intention!
I like your honesty and believed like you at one point.
I don't think Alcohol (or pretty much any substance) is a problem but the way we, ourselves decide to consider, respect, and employ it.
People have drank alcohol for all of history and a great many world-changing alliances formed over a shared glass and the revelry facilitated therein.
We do have a culture of abuse, one that shuns moderation and that is a problem but there's absolutely no harm in taking a substance to enhance or enable a mental state. Unless you're some ascetic: you do it with food, you do it with gifts, you do it with music, art, and poetry.
It's when you use these things to keep your mind, eyes, and hands from the work of bettering yourself and the world around you that it becomes a problem.