> Milton has even proposed that humanity's greatest evolutionary asset
> may
> also be the source of its greatest alcohol-related troubles, saying,
> "in
> apes, there's nothing like human consciousness", so why should they
> drink?


Well, chimps in captivity love to drink alcohol if given the chance.
> "Humans might be the only animals that wish to escape from their own
> consciousness," she said.

Actually, many animals I have read about use mind altering drugs, from
bears to ants. The article I recall said it seemed to be a common trait
of all animals.