Alcohol also contributes to pancreatitis in other ways, though, for example, stimulating acinar cells to release inflammatory cytokines which attracts a strong immune reaction.
With alcohol abuse it goes like this: alcohol increases zymogen secretion from acinar cells while decreasing fluid and bicarbonate production from the ductal epithelial cells.
As part of the subsequent healing process pancreatic stellate cells lay down fibrotic tissue which causes narrowing, or stenosis of the ducts, as well as acinar cell atrophy.
When the pancreatic acinar cells are damaged or the the pancreatic ducts are blocked, often because of alcohol abuse or gallstones, the inactive zymogens that the pancreas produces can be prematurely converted to active digestive enzymes.