Using a longitudinal, dynamic network of 12,067 people, we analyze the role of social networks in alcohol use, focusing on the following questions: (1) Do clusters of heavy drinkers and abstainers exist within the network? (2) Is there an association between an individual's alcohol consumption behavior and the alcohol consumption behaviors of their social contacts? (3) How much do any associations depend on the nature and direction of the social ties (e.g., friends of different kinds, siblings, spouses, co-workers, neighbors)? And (4) Does gender affect the spread of alcohol consumption across social ties?
