People are objectively noticing that they can get a social lubricant without a hangover, without liver damage, without esophageal damage, without lung damage (not an alcohol thing, just a reference to smokers of anything), and that alcohol is more toxic than more tightly regulated drugs.

I believe the person you were responding to was pointing that out, while I believe you wrote a false dilemma as nobody here is talking about abstaining from mind altering substances, they find it absurd to try to force making alcohol the substance of choice, given that harm reduction already exists for recreational use of other substances.

But to stay on point, the original article is "Alcolhol without the hangover" - keyword "hangover". A hangover is a symptom you have overdone it, not just a few drinks with friends while socializing. It's more like, "I can't remember what we did after 6 beers and then shots", sort of mentality, and not eating or drinking enough water. That is when you have poisoned yourself.

40% of convicted murderers used alcohol before or during the crime.

70% of all drunk-driving fatalities were with drivers with a blood-alcohol level of 0.15%+.