Social drinkers may observe that the more regularly they use alcohol, the less they are impaired by it. Contradictory as it may seem, they are not completely wrong. Although little is known about the development of tolerance to alcohol, most research in the area has concentrated on tolerance as a potential indicator of pathology. In an illuminating departure from this line of thinking, this volume systematically investigates why most drinkers can use alcohol without making the transition from social to abusive drinking. By examining factors that contribute to alcohol tolerance in nonproblem social drinking, the book offers new insights for prevention and treatment of alcohol abuse and helps to pave the way for future research.