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American Indians By: John Brown American Indians Indians in eastern North America possessed no alcohol at the beginning of the colonial period. The Indians who drank did so to the point of intoxication enjoyed the experience they got from it. If Indians chose to drink out of frustration and despair, they were not alone; as social scientists have made clear, whenever Western societies undergo periods of rapid transition, rates of drinking increase. Documentary evidence also …

…society. Today we are told that Indians and Alaska Natives die from alcoholism at almost five times the overall rate for the nation. (something, 17) Such statistics not only give cause for concern but also shape how the problem of Indian drinking is perceived. Many believe that homicide, suicide, and accidents are strongly associated with alcohol, deaths from these related causes are often put together with deaths directly the result of drinking, such as alcoholic cirrhosis.