You do have the freedom to say "No Thanks" to an alcoholic drink.

I was just reading one of my favorite bloggers who references a book by Dr. Kay Redfield Jamison called Disease to Please. You can get to the link and read the Alcohol Free Social Life blog entry here. The blogger is making the point that a lot of people feel obligated to drink recreational alcohol based on their internal need/desire to please other people. For example, a number of people will tell you that they drink only "socially". In other words, when they are out with other people who are drinking alcohol, they feel the inclination to imbibe themselves. According to the theory of the book, as I understand it, this need is essentially a psychological "disorder" that compels some people to do things they do not necessarily want to do in order to please others. "Disorder" may be a strong word but I cannot disagree with that assessment. In most instances there is not the threat of bodily harm if you decide not to drink. Most of the time, the "Disease to Please" is some perceived possibility that you could/would somehow anger or disappoint someone else. Of course, the truth is that almost nobody else will care whether or not you drink alcohol. In fact, just saying "no" to an alcoholic drink often sparks some interesting conversations.

The reality is that some people feel obligated to do things that they may not really want to do just because everybody else is doing it. The culture in a America is such that a large portion of the population is convinced that drinking recreational alcohol is a legitimate way to pass the time. You should make up your own mind and not feel compelled to follow the crowd. Make your own decision and remember that you do indeed have the freedom in this country to say "no thanks". Most people will probably respect you more for it.