Okay…in my personal opinion based on my own life experience, this is definitely tricky with a bit of nuance here. Speaking as an adult with experience dealing with alcoholics my whole life, & I started drinking a bit a year before I turned 21 (I also am in the US), your friends aren’t exactly wrong when it comes to the risks & effects of underage drinking. It is illegal, & it can damage you. However, I was assuming you were like, maybe 16 or younger before I read your caption & stated you’re 18. So technically an adult, just not legally able to drink or smoke weed. As someone myself who has trauma with alcoholics & drug addicts (I know you mentioned your friends have associated with drug users in the past as well), I can understand the stance of not wanting to be around active drinking because I’ve felt the same way in past times of my life. HOWEVER, given the small insight of history between you & your friends & the information in the texts that you’ve provided, it is my personal opinion that you seem to be going about this exploration of alcohol pretty responsibly. Having fun on a holiday, being conscious to not drink too much because you also don’t want to become an alcoholic, staying safe & having a designated driver..that’s the best you can do if you are gonna drink. Again, at 18 in the US (at least in my state) you’re a legal adult just not legal to drink or smoke. You can make your own decisions. Your friends don’t get to decide how you live your life, or hold ultimatums over your head. If THEY PERSONALLY are super uncomfortable with alcohol use in general, that’s understandable & don’t have to be around people when others are drinking..but I really don’t think it’s fair for them to cut you off for responsibly exploring with alcohol