In the UK alcohol is cheap. But only in retail outlets and not in public houses. It needs to be the other way around. As you mention 'happy social drinkers' and that is not the same thing as sitting at home alone with a drink. There is a lot of low level alcoholism going on which is fine but I would prefer that to be 'happy social drinkers', even if alone in a pub.

Before Thatcher alcohol was widely available - in pubs. There were not corner stores and supermarkets selling the stuff everywhere. If you wanted take out beer to drink at home you bought it from the 'off license' bit of a pub. If you wanted wine you went to a specialist wine shop that would not be open all hours.

Now the thing that is going on in the USA is a lot of drug taking at quite an unusual level compared to what goes on in Europe.

Drugs in the UK exist but not in an epidemic. Teenagers and students smoke weed and then move on. In America the view of weed is that it is kids stuff, drugs start with white powders and things people stick into their veins. It is at a whole different level and quite terrifying.

It is a winner takes all capitalist society in America. That is where the drug problem comes from. Socialist republics (not that there any) don't have this problem.