What is Alcohol? Alcohol is created when grains, fruits, or vegetables are fermented.

Fermentation- a process that uses yeast or bacteria to change the sugars found in food into alcohol.

How Does It Affect Us?When people drink alcohol, its absorbed into their bloodstream, it affects the CNS (Brain and Spinal Cord), which controls all body functions.

What Type of Drug is It?Alcohol is a depressant.

Depressant- A drug that slows down the body’s functions and reactions.

Alcohol blocks some of the messages trying to get to the brain. This alters a persons perceptions, emotions, movement, vision, and hearing.

Intoxication- The state of being intoxicated or drunk due to large amounts of alcohol. Mental/Physical abilities are impaired

Binge Drinking- consumption of large quantities of alcohol in short period of time (2 hours)

4 drinks for women

5 drinks for men

Alcohol poisoning- dangerous condition that results when a person drinks excessive amount of alcohol over a short period of time.

Violent vomiting Difficulty breathing

Extreme sleepiness Low blood sugar

Unconsciousness Seizures

How can you tell If someone has Alcohol Poisoning? Unconscious or semi-consciousness

Slow respiration (breaths) of eight or less per minute

Cold, clammy, pale or bluish skin

If this happens, call 911 Turn on their side Wait for help to arrive

Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) – measure of the amount of alcohol present in a person’s blood

.02% makes people feel light headed

.08% enough to make it dangerous to drive (legally intoxicated)

Measured from exhaled breath or blood sample

ALCOHOL USE AND TEENS

Research has shown that alcohol use can interfere with long and short term growth

Can harm the brains ability to learn and ability to remember

Increases the risk of social problems, depression, suicidal thoughts and violence

Consequences include being arrested, fined or sent to a youth detention

1/3 of all teen traffic deaths are related to alcohol

According to the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, almost 80% of high school students have tried alcohol.

WHAT’S IN A DRINK?

4oz 12oz 1oz

They all HAVE THE SAME AMOUNT OF ALCOHOL!!!!

the concentration of alcohol in a beverage is the proof value Proof value = 2X percentage alcohol. E.g. 100 proof (whiskey) contains 50% alcohol

FACTORS THAT AFFECT ALCOHOL ABSORPTION

1. Strength of the beverage

2. Number of drinks consumed

3. Speed of consumption

4. What you are mixing it with

5. Presence of food in stomach

6. Gender and body size

7. Physical tolerance

8. Body chemistry / General health

9. Combining with other drugs

LONG TERM PHYSICAL EFFECTS

Mouth: Increases mouth and throat cancer

Stomach: Irritates lining and increase acid causing swelling and ulcers which lead to bleeding. Weakens the valve from stomach to esophagus causing heartburn

Liver: If alcohol is frequently in blood, liver cells die causing

Fatty Liver fat builds up in liver and cannot be broken down

Cirrhosis- disease characterized by scarring and eventual destruction of liver

Brain: Disrupts parts of brain responsible for memory and problem solving…unlike many other kinds of cells, brain cells do NOT grow back

Heart: Damages heart muscle, causing it to weaken and enlarge which leads to high BP. Increasing risk of congestive heart failure and stroke

Normal Normal healthy liverhealthy liver

Liver with Liver with cirrhosiscirrhosis

Perception and motor skills Fine motor skills, reaction time, speech

Should you drive?

Heart and blood vessels Increases blood pressure

Blood vessels expand = lose body heat

Sleepiness Alcohol is a depressant

Makes people tired

At first, not tired but might feel energized from loss of inhibitions

Feel warm but be careful in cold weather

Emotions are intensified Judgment is affected by alcohol

Results in poor decisions

Risk taking

Violence

Injuries

SHORT TERM EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL USE?