Do people really get used to alcohol over time?

Just like any other poison, the body can indeed build up a tolerance to alcohol, it will take them more and more to have the same effect, however this is a double edged sword because they can become complacent over the effects that alcohol has on their body.

A person's liver is still damaged by excessive drinking and is totally regardless of the tolerance build up, so just be careful, here's a good guide for you.

http://www.patient.co.uk/health/Alcohol-and-Sensib...

Absolutely possible. I can't give a scientific basis for that answer, and I don't think the liver is actually filtering alcohol at a higher rate, I just think your other systems start to tolerate the impairment better.

When I started drinking, a few beers did the trick. 2 or 3 years later, at the peak of my college drinking days, there were nights we'd put away 15 beers each and get up the next day and do it again.

Now I'm much older and I don't drink to excess anymore, and I'm pretty sure that much beer would kill me. If I have more than 2 or 3 drinks I feel it the next day.

Your body developes a tolerance to drinking alcohol, or any other drugs. It is a memory effect and never goes in the reverse direction. Even after abstinence for any period of time. Even after abstinence, the person will soon be back to the same level of usage as when last used. I used to think different, but found this is true.

People do get accustomed to the effects of alcohol and, whereas their ultimate limit (the level at which they lose consciousness) might be no higher than that of an inexperienced drinker, they will show the growing signs of intoxication less.

This is easy to prove at any party - the regular drinkers seem to stay sober whereas the newbies get giggly or chatty after just a few drinks.

yes. they have a higher tolerance for alcohol

No.