Stanton Peele

In the following viewpoint, Stanton Peele argues that allowing children to drink can prevent them from abusing alcohol later in life. According to Peele, if children are taught how to drink responsibly, their risk of developing problems with alcohol decreases. To support his claim, he asserts that Mediterranean societies—in which young children are served wine at meals— have much lower rates of alcoholism than societies that urge children to abstain from alcohol. Peele is the author of a number of books on addiction, including Diseasing of America and The Truth About Addiction and Recovery.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. As cited by Peele, what does psychiatrist George Vaillant’s study conclude about culture attitudes toward alcohol and the risk of alcoholism?
2. According to the author, what is the...