Research now shows that genetics and environmental factors play a major role in alcohol and its dependence; it is thought to be easily passed down from generation to generation (Medical Library, 2003). Over the past thirty years of research, the theory that genetics plays a role in alcoholism has been proven. One type of research done to prove this theory was that of adopted children. It showed that children who suffered from alcoholism throughout their biological family and who were separated at birth from their parents appeared to have a higher risk of becoming alcohol dependent than other children in the same situation whose parents biological were not alcoholics (Cross,