Despite cultural differences and language difference, drinking has the perception of being a universal way of bonding among backpackers. Just like people relate snow to antartica, people relate backpackers to drinking. As a 25 year old from Australia travelling around Asia and Europe people assume that I drink. Up until recently this assumption was correct. Alcohol lovers could argue that the social benifets of drinking has lead to business deals, marriages, inventions and even babies. Others have written books about the health risk associated with alcohol such as cancer, liver disease, kidney disease. They have written books about how the short term impacts of drinking has leave to violence, serious injuries, car accidents and regrets. I dont even need to mention the distructive impact alcoholism has not only on an individual, but friends, family and community
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