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Alcohol

Alcohol. Alcohol is a Drug. This is the most commonly used and widely abused psychoactive drug in the world. Been around for 10,000 years. The oldest drug in the world. What is Alcohol?.

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Alcohol

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  1. Alcohol

  2. Alcohol is a Drug • This is the most commonly used and widely abused psychoactive drug in the world. • Been around for 10,000 years. The oldest drug in the world.

  3. What is Alcohol? • It is the name given to a variety of related compounds. It is the drinkable form of ethanol or ethyl alcohol. • 3 Basic types of alcoholic beverages: • Beer – made from fermented grains and has an alcohol content from 3 -6%. • Wine – Made from fermented fruits and has alcohol content of 11-14 %. Fortified wines, such as port wines, have additional alcohol , increasing alcohol content to 18-20%. • Liquor – Made by distilling a fermented product to yield a drink that contains 40-50% alcohol.

  4. What is proof? • The alcohol content in liquor is usually indicated by degrees of proof in the United States. This figure is exactly double or twice as high as the percentage. Thus, 80-proof liquor contains 40% alcohol.

  5. Absorption into the Body • Step 1- Mouth • Step 2 – Esophagus • Step 3 – Stomach (Small amount of alcohol is absorbed into mucus membranes of the stomach lining) • Step 4 – Small Intestines – Most absorption into blood stream takes place from small intestines.

  6. Absorption • Depends on how quickly the stomach empties into intestines. (Food in stomach or empty stomach) • Gender – Females contain less body water to dilute alcohol. As a result, females become impaired more quickly. • ADH enzyme in stomach metabolizes alcohol and impedes it’s effects. Therefore, the largest portion of alcohol reaches blood stream from small intestines.

  7. Absorption • Typically takes 20 minutes for BAC (Blood Alcohol Content) to increase after first sip of alcohol. • After absorption, alcohol exits the body in 3 different way: • Kidneys • Lungs • Liver

  8. What category of drug is Alcohol? • Alcohol is a very powerful, addictive central nervous system depressant. • The effects are activated by yeast cells on carbohydrates in fruits and grains.

  9. How does Alcohol Effect you? • The drug acts on nerve cells deep in the brain. • Initially serves as a stimulant, then induces feelings of relaxation and reduces anxiety. • 2-3 drinks impairs judgment, lowers inhibitions and induces mild euphoria. • Full Body effects (Neurological, Cardiovascular, Respiratory, Liver & Psychological) • Short & Long-term effects

  10. Neurological Dangers • Impaired Vision & motor coordination • Memory Defects • Hallucination • Blackouts & Seizures • Permanent Brain Damage

  11. Cardiovascular Problems • Elevated Blood Pressure • Elevated Heart Rate • Risk of Stroke • Heart Failure

  12. Respiratory Dangers • Respiratory depression (Slowing) and failure • Pneumonia • Tuberculosis • Lung Abscesses • Increased Risk of mouth & throat cancers

  13. Dangers to Liver • Liver disease – caused by chronic alcohol abuse, including alcoholic fatty liver, hepatitis & cirrhosis. • Cirrhosis kills 25,000 Americans each year.

  14. Psychological Dangers • Impaired judgment • Impaired verbal ability • Anti-social behavior • Inability to concentrate • Deterioration of relationships (Family, friends & co-workers) • Relaxes decision-making portion of the brain. (Prefrontal Lobes)

  15. Short-term Effects of Alcohol • Impairs judgment • Dizziness • Talkativeness • Slurred speech • Nausea • Vomiting • Disturbed sleep • Hangover (Thirst, Headache, fatigue)

  16. Long Term Effects • Prolonged, heavy use of alcohol can lead to addiction (Alcoholism) • Withdrawal Symptoms (Tremors, severe anxiety, hallucinations & convulsions) • Permanent Damage to vital organs • Several forms of cancer • Gastrointestinal Irritations (Nausea, diarrhea & ulcers) • Malnutrition & nutritional deficiencies • Sexual dysfunctions • High Blood Pressure • Lower resistance to disease

  17. Crime & Alcohol • 50 % of ALL suicides and homicides are alcohol related.

  18. Deaths Related to Alcohol • Impaired drivers kill someone every 30 minutes. That equals 50 people per day & 18,000 per year. • Alcohol kills 6 ½ times more youth than all illicit drugs COMBINED! • More than 100,000 Americans die each year from excessive alcohol consumption. • Traffic crashes are the greatest single cause of death for people aged 6-33 years old. 45% are alcohol-related.

  19. Alcoholism in the United States • Alcohol is the most commonly used drug among young people. • Among current drinkers, more than ½ say they have a blood relative who is an alcoholic or problem drinker. • Males are 4 times as likely to be heavy drinkers vs. female drinkers. • Nearly 14 million Americans are diagnosed with alcoholism. • More than 18% of all Americans experience alcohol dependency at some point in their lives.

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