Final answer:
The specific percentage of respondents who reported alcohol as the first drug they ever tried was not provided, but historical context indicates its prevalence as an integrated part of American society, likely making it a common first drug experience.
Step-by-step explanation:
The survey by the American Addiction Centers, which includes responses from more than 1,000 Americans, discovered a trend regarding the first drug people tried, although the specific statistic for how many indicated that alcohol was their first drug isn't provided in the question or the reference material. However, considering the historical context of alcohol consumption in America, it is possible to infer that alcohol was likely a common first drug experience for many. From the arrival of the Mayflower, which carried barrels of beer, to the Whiskey Rebellion sparked by taxation attempts, and the enormous consumption in the 1800s, alcohol has long been integrated into American society and historical events. The average American in the 1830s consumed more than 1.5 bottles of liquor a week, and alcohol has been a subject of public health debate, religious condemnation, and law enforcement.
Alcohol intoxication is noted as very common and a historically documented phenomenon across American history. It is considered one of the most widespread recreational drugs and has contributed to both direct and indirect deaths in the United States each year. With this pervasive presence of alcohol throughout U.S. history, it would not be surprising if many respondents in such a survey reported it as their first encounter with drugs.