As the others have said, only your friend can decide. I was just like that only a few years ago and also have a friend exactly as you described. However, with myself, my daily drinking morphed into at LEAST 8 light beers per day. I considered it a successful moderation day if I drank only 5, The day I put down the drink, I counted 12-14 beers and didn't even feel a buzz. I estimate my daily drinking had escalated to at least 10 beers per day, every day. I would classify myself as an alcoholic. I am a woman and weigh about 130 lbs.