Minor sad: A power outlet in my room is a bit loose, and the power can be cut with slight jostling. The cat has discovered this, and unplugged my computer power strip (EDIT: twice), while I was in mid post. Firefox saved the text though, even though the computer crashed. A small victory! ...though I'll need to relocate my compy desk to a better outlet, which is a bit of an ordeal.
Are you entirely against alcohol? Social drinking and occasionally getting shitfaced at parties is fun. It's not just for dumb people. As long as you aren't often above the "moderate use" guideline (1-2 drinks per day), you won't have a significantly higher risk of brain/liver damage.
For me, and people like me who get addicted to things faster than you can say "higher mathematics:" yes.
For people like her, who have carefully destroyed their impulse control, have alcoholism in the family, succumb to peer pressure extremely easily, suffer crippling anxiety/stress (and drink to avoid that stress), believe in never planning ahead or making anything last, are underage, have addictive personalities, and theoretically have different brain chemistry due to autism:
I gotta say, man, it just seems stupid.
Well, I've known people with similar impulse control... and sometimes it takes making mistakes to learn. If she's committed to not listening to the advice and concerns of others, and is equally committed that her decisions are right, then there's nothing you can do for it. She'll have to learn on her own, and I hope for her sake that the mistake that she learns from isn't a big one.
On the subject of alcohol, it's been with us as people for long enough that we can see the line between drinking for enjoyment, and a drinking dependency. I think inebriation is a good experience for anyone to have at least once, ideally around friends they trust... but as with all things, excess should be avoided.
For healthy, well-adjusted, and generally nice people, drinking seems to make them stupidly blunt, more apt to show kindness to others, and more straightforward about what's on their mind. It also tends to accentuate personality quirks (both good and bad), slows down mental clockspeed, and makes people more susceptible to their emotions... thus, there are times and places when it's not a good idea, such as when you're angry, depressed, alone, or in need of all your mental faculties.
I drink 1 to 2 nights a month at most, I do so with friends, and I don't drink until I'm falling over myself. Some of the worst things I've done after drinking were playing Sigurd Rascher's sax sonatas
without piano unaccompanied at 2AM, overestimating my Chess and Jenga skills, and somersaulting over the back of my couch (instrument in hand) only to land back on my feet with nothing damaged. I also joined a chorus in singing "Piano Man" into the night sky as well... though that was the one occasion where I was actually drunk.