"At this point, I imagine many of you are thinking: How can it be helpful to tell kids that being an alcoholic is OK when alcoholism is a huge public health problem. Shouldn't we be telling kids that not being an alcoholic is better? There are a few assumptions to unpack here. First there's the idea that the absence of alcohol addiction is a clear indicator of health and success. As medical professionals and as as society we've been brainwashed to think that being sober is a clear indicator of health--that somebody who is a drunk is automatically less healthy--but research shows some alcoholics are healthier and more successful than some non-alcoholics so by all means encourage your kids to ignore warning signs they are getting out of control and make sure they maintain self esteem as they hit the booze."