Transitional rituals
In all societies, alcohol plays a central role in transitional rituals - both major life-cycle events and minor, everyday transitions.
In terms of everyday transitions, cultures (such as the US and UK) in which alcohol is only used to mark the transition from work to play - where drinking is associated with recreation and irresponsibility, and regarded as antithetical to working - tend to have higher levels of alcohol-related problems.
Cultures in which drinking is an integral part of the normal working day, and alcohol may be used to mark the transition to work (e.g. France, Spain, Peru), tend to have lower levels of alcohol-related problems.
Shifts away from traditional pre-work or lunchtime drinking in these cultures could be a cause for concern, as these changes can indicate a trend towards drinking patterns and attitudes associated with higher levels of alcohol-related problems.