Alcoholism isn't so much about addiction as it is about binge drinking. Lots of people have a couple of drinks everyday and function quite well. It's the four manhattans in quick succession where things go awry.
To get a medically supervised withdrawal in England you need to be drinking 40 units a day - that's a litre of 40% spirits every day. (That number drops if you have severe and enduring mental illness, or are female).
Binge drinking - having most of the week alcohol free and ten having a bunch of drinks over a few days is associated with increased risk of sexual violence; unplanned pregnancy; STDs; accidental injury; etc, and the the alcohol harms on top. But uaving those drink free days is somewhat protective.
Drinking a couple of drinks everyday makes the alcohol harms much more likely, and reduces the other risks. (It depends how big those drinks are.)
What happens if they can't get the drinks one day? Do they get agitated? Does it impair their lives in any way?
Except when you don't, as was the case with some adults that I spent a large chunk of my life with. Binge drinking is a different kind of alcoholism, but it is still alcoholism.