The alcoholic beverage has remained an established element in the social world of society and has become a way of life. As alcohol continues to spread among citizens of the United States, so does the concept of alcohol addiction. A person becomes dependent on alcohol when he “drinks excessively and develops an addiction that results in significant mental disturbance, or in interference with his physical and mental health, his interpersonal relationships, and his good social and economic functioning” (Calahan , 1970, pp. 3). In 2009, the National Institute on Drug Abuse reported that approximately 52 percent of Americans consumed alcohol at least once within 30 days of the survey. As the percentage of Americans who consume alcohol continues to increase, the number of people who become dependent on alcohol remains at increased risk for medical complications. Although it is known that men drink more often than women, the side effects that women are more likely to suffer affect not only themselves but also the children they are carrying (Wilkinson, 1970). Being a legal drug in the United States, alcohol becomes part of the many chemicals that bring harmful effects on the body. Alcohol is known to affect every organ in the body of the person who consumes it and has the potential to harm the developing fetus (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2009). According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (2009), occasional alcohol use can impair brain function and various motor skills, while on the other hand, heavy use can increase the risk of “certain cancers, stroke, and liver disease ”. With heavy alcohol use, a person may develop a craving for addiction or continue to consume alcohol despite the harm or injury it may cause to both us… middle of paper…). The American alcoholic. Charles C. Thomas Publisher: Illinois.McConville, B. (1983). Women under the influence. Schocken Books: New York. National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2009). Alcohol. National Institutes of Health. Retrieved from http://www.drugabuse.gov/drugs-abuse/alcohol.National Association for Children of Alcoholics. (2012). Children of addicted parents: important facts. Retrieved from http://www.nacoa.net/pdfs/addicted.pdf.National Household Survey on Drug Abuse. (2001). Summary of national results. Office of Applied Studies: Maryland. DHHS Publication No. SMA 02-3758.Seixas, J. S., & Youcha, G. (1985). Children of alcoholism. Crown Publishers, Inc.: New York.Sher, K. J. (1991). Children of alcoholics. The University of Chicago Press: Chicago.Wilkinson, R. (1970). Prevention of alcohol problems. Oxford University Press: New York.