The absorption and The absorption and elimination of alcoholelimination of alcohol

What is alcoholWhat is alcohol How is it absorbedHow is it absorbed How is it eliminatedHow is it eliminated What is a unit of alcoholWhat is a unit of alcohol How can a unit be calculatedHow can a unit be calculated A unit the drink drive law and A unit the drink drive law and

youyou

What is alcoholWhat is alcohol

Alcohol is EthanolAlcohol is Ethanol Naturally occurs in Naturally occurs in

fermentationfermentation Added artificially ( Alco-pops)Added artificially ( Alco-pops) It is a drugIt is a drug It is a poisonIt is a poison

How is alcohol absorbedHow is alcohol absorbed

SwallowedSwallowed Goes through stomach & Goes through stomach &

intestine wallintestine wall Into blood and pumped by Into blood and pumped by

heartheart To the brainTo the brain All within 5 minutesAll within 5 minutes

How eliminatedHow eliminated

BreathBreath

SweatSweat

UrineUrine

LiverLiver

2% - 4%2% - 4%

2% - 6%2% - 6%

2% - 4%2% - 4%

90% approx.90% approx.

What is ABVWhat is ABV

Alcohol by Alcohol by volumevolume

14% ABV14% ABV

Means 14% of Means 14% of content is content is alcoholalcohol

What is a unitWhat is a unit

For calculation purposes a For calculation purposes a unit of alcohol is the average unit of alcohol is the average amount of alcohol a healthy amount of alcohol a healthy body can eliminate in 1 hourbody can eliminate in 1 hour

What equals a unitWhat equals a unit

Half pint of 3.5% Half pint of 3.5% abv beerabv beer

125ml glass of 9% 125ml glass of 9% abv wineabv wine

25ml glass of 40% 25ml glass of 40% abv spiritabv spirit

How to calculate unitsHow to calculate units

Volume x ABV Volume x ABV divided by 1000divided by 1000

Example 330ml Example 330ml bottle of 5% abv bottle of 5% abv beer.beer.

330x5 = 1650/1000 330x5 = 1650/1000 = 1.65 units. = 1.65 units. For safety always For safety always

round up round up = 2 = 2 unitsunits

The LawThe Law

BreathBreath

BloodBlood

UrineUrine

35ug 35ug (microgrammes)(microgrammes)

80mg 80mg

(milligrams)(milligrams)

107mg 107mg (milligrams)(milligrams)

The RealityThe Reality

Driving at the British legal Driving at the British legal limit can make a driver up to 5 limit can make a driver up to 5 times likelier to crashtimes likelier to crash

Even small amounts of alcohol Even small amounts of alcohol can double the risk of crashingcan double the risk of crashing

The legal limit is not The legal limit is not necessarily the safe limitnecessarily the safe limit

Highest limit in EuropeHighest limit in Europe

The EffectsThe Effects 1 unit of alcohol = 7ug of breath 1 unit of alcohol = 7ug of breath

(Maybe!) HOWEVER(Maybe!) HOWEVER

GenderGender

SizeSize

Fitness Fitness

MedicationMedication

MoodMood

FoodFood

Topping upTopping up

The effectThe effect

If 7ug breath = If 7ug breath = unitunit

Large Adult MaleLarge Adult Male

Small Adult Small Adult FemaleFemale

5 units = 35ug 5 units = 35ug limitlimit

5 units = 65/80 5 units = 65/80 bloodblood

5 units = 112/80 5 units = 112/80 bloodblood

The morning afterThe morning after

Friday night drinks from 9pm Friday night drinks from 9pm to Midnightto Midnight

Drinks 5 pints of 4.2% abv Drinks 5 pints of 4.2% abv Lager and 2 double Jack Lager and 2 double Jack DanielsDaniels

In bed by 12.30In bed by 12.30

The morning afterThe morning after

When would you be happy for When would you be happy for this pupil to drive your car?this pupil to drive your car?

The morning afterThe morning after

Lager = 12.5 units Lager = 12.5 units Jack Daniels = 4 unitsJack Daniels = 4 units 16.5 units = 16.5 hours 16.5 units = 16.5 hours

approx. to leave bodyapprox. to leave body

Alcohol free 1.30pm Alcohol free 1.30pm next daynext day

WarningWarning

There are no hard and fast rules There are no hard and fast rules for calculating alcohol eliminationfor calculating alcohol elimination

Drink driving offences stay on your Drink driving offences stay on your licence for 11 years (10 years for licence for 11 years (10 years for re-offending)re-offending)

Banned for at least 1 year first Banned for at least 1 year first offenceoffence

On the CRB register and PNC On the CRB register and PNC number for 5 years (in most cases)number for 5 years (in most cases)