Alcohol is a unique, legal drug that is linked closely to personal and social identities and which subsequently leads to both positive and negative consequences. To set the scene a whistle-stop tour of major land-marks in the origins of alcohol, consumption patterns and moral attitudes in its social history is presented. The authors debate the rules, laws and voluntary codes of practice set in place which seem to restrict industry practice but provide a libertarian view of alcohol to the consumer. This analysis in turn questions whose responsibility is it to restrict or enable alcohol...