Ask anyone who possess two copies of the acetaldehyde dehydrogenase-deficient allele.[1] Or if you want objective data, look at incidence of esophageal cancer relative to alcohol consumption.
It's just not as universal in various communities as sometimes assumed. And rather than make one more prone to alcoholism (i.e. as might be believed wrt Native Americans), the current scientific conjecture is that it makes one less susceptible because of the discomfort. Though, needless to say, indulging in such conjectures doesn't have a great track record, with or without the imprimatur of science. There are few if any facts that can't be twisted to serve some cultural prejudice.
[1] 23andMe.com test for these polymorphisms. I presume similar genetic tests do, too, as the function is so well established.
Basically anywhere you go in the world there is a group of people that “has genes that dont metabolise alcohol” and this is presented as scientific fact with no study existing whatsoever, and masquaraded as the tolerant way of acknowledging problems integrating with that group of people
“But I heard from” doesnt matter who you heard it from, show the study and show why it is a good study, or drop the idea completely (or fund the study)
It can be the US, the UK, Central Europe, Asia, people repeat the same thing about another group of people in that area. Maybe its true in one of those places about one of those people. Or not.