I'm certainly not trying to minimize the damage that alcohol does - it absolutely ruins lives. I do want to clarify my comment about stealing though. I have known people to steal in order to obtain marijuana and alcohol, but it was (I'm having trouble finding a less offensive way of saying this, so I'll just say it)... much less desperate.
The instances I've encountered where people steal in order to obtain marijuana or alcohol usually consist of people stealing the actual marijuana or alcohol.
Edit: Edited the preceding paragraph because I originally presented this type of stealing as less impactful than the one I talk about next, which was not only a poor position for me to take in the first place, but also completely aside from my point.
Contrast this with blankets spread out on the sidewalks of San Francisco containing random household items for sale such as phone chargers, or kitchen utensils. It's pretty clear that one group is willing to go to greater lengths to obtain their fix than the other.
Edit: I want to acknowledge again that alcohol can and does ruin lives, and there are probably kids going hungry because their parents spent the last of their money on alcohol instead of food. My main point was to contrast this behavior with the behavior of people who steal in order to obtain hard drugs. While both are bad, they're still different in important ways. Namely, you typically aren't going to find the alcoholics peddling stolen wares on the streets.
The instances I've encountered where people steal in order to obtain marijuana or alcohol usually consist of people stealing the actual marijuana or alcohol.
Edit: Edited the preceding paragraph because I originally presented this type of stealing as less impactful than the one I talk about next, which was not only a poor position for me to take in the first place, but also completely aside from my point.
Contrast this with blankets spread out on the sidewalks of San Francisco containing random household items for sale such as phone chargers, or kitchen utensils. It's pretty clear that one group is willing to go to greater lengths to obtain their fix than the other.
Edit: I want to acknowledge again that alcohol can and does ruin lives, and there are probably kids going hungry because their parents spent the last of their money on alcohol instead of food. My main point was to contrast this behavior with the behavior of people who steal in order to obtain hard drugs. While both are bad, they're still different in important ways. Namely, you typically aren't going to find the alcoholics peddling stolen wares on the streets.