Australian culture is very similar...yet, while I smoked pot socially I actually didn't 'drink' in our sense at 23 - the very occasional beer at most....
I had a great life - parties, pubs, gigs, friends....and drugs weren't a fundamental part of that at all for me....
Then things happened....and I started my 'serious' drinking at 25. Buh bye 15 years.
I don't know how you convince yourself that you don't need alcohol to be who you are, or indeed who you want to be, but I wish you luck with it Neo.
I wish I had had your insight, courage and foresight at 23 - coulda saved myself a whole lot of years and a whole lot of damage. Don't blow it - who you are and what you have is awesome, mate.
D