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WHAT IS ALCOHOL?
- Beverage alcohol
is ethyl alcohol, or ethanol. It is a depressant
drug.
- Alcohol is a
natural product of fermenting sugars. It is
usually made from grains such as hops, barley or
rice and/or fruits, but it can also be made from
other plants.
- The
concentration of alcohol in drinks varies
widely. Wine and beer have between 5% and 15%,
while 'hard' liquor usually has up to 40%, and
sometimes more.
WHAT IS A STANDARD DOSE?
- A standard drink
is defined as 12 oz. (341 ml) of beer, 5 oz (142
ml) of table wine, or 1.5 oz (85 ml) of liquor.
- It is the amount
of alcohol you drink, not the type of drink that
affects you. It's always good to know the
alcohol content of whatever you are drinking.
- Alcohol affects
some people more or less strongly than others,
and can affect the same person differently at
different times. This depends on body weight,
metabolism, tolerance from prior use, food in
the stomach, and other factors.
- There really
isn't a standard dose of alcohol. Know your own
limits and pace yourself. A standard drink is
metabolized out of your system in approximately
1.5 hours.
WHAT ARE THE EFFECTS OF DRINKING ALCOHOL?
- Low to moderate
amounts can produce feelings of relaxation,
lowed inhibitions, and increased sociability.
- Larger amounts
can cause dizziness, nausea, slurred speech,
slower reflexes, sleepiness, bad judgment,
dehydration and a hangover the next day.
- Overdoses can
cause loss of motor control, black-outs,
temporary coma (passing out), and in extreme
cases, death.
BE
CAREFUL
- Alcohol is
highly addictive and tolerance develops quickly
with severe withdrawal symptoms including
nervousness, tremors, seizures and
hallucinations.
- Long term use
can damage the liver, brain and other organs,
and can result in severe mental and physical
problems.
- Consuming too
much alcohol at once can cause death through
acute alcohol toxicity. Drinking games are
especially dangerous as they can easily lead to
overdoses.
- Alcohol impairs
vision and motor coordination. Driving drunk is
illegal and endangers yourself and others.
- If a woman
drinks too often during pregnancy, her baby can
have fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS).
- In the United
States, it is illegal to purchase alcohol if you
are under 21 years of age.
* Mixing alcohol with
over-the-counter medications, prescription
medications, or illegal drugs is dangerous and can
lead to medical emergencies |