Alcohol use and safe drinking
Alcohol use involves drinking beer, wine, or hard liquor.
Alcohol is one of the most widely used drug substances in the world.
Alcohol use is not only an adult problem. Most American high school seniors have had an alcoholic drink within the past month. This is in spite of the fact that the legal drinking age is 21 years old in the United States.
About 1 in 5 teens are considered "problem drinkers." This means that they:
- Get drunk
- Have accidents related to alcohol use
- Get into trouble with the law, family members, friends, school, or dates because of alcohol
THE EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL
Alcoholic drinks have different amounts of alcohol in them.
- Beer is about 5% alcohol, although some beers can have more.
- Wine is usually 12% to 15% alcohol.
- Hard liquor is about 45% alcohol.
Alcohol gets into your bloodstream quickly.
The amount and type of food in your stomach can change how quickly this occurs. For example, high-carbohydrate and high-fat foods can make your body absorb alcohol more slowly.
Certain types of alcoholic drinks get into your bloodstream faster. Stronger drinks tend to be absorbed faster.
Alcohol slows your breathing rate, heart rate, and how well your brain functions. These effects may appear within 10 minutes and peak at around 40 to 60 minutes. Alcohol stays in your bloodstream until it is broken down by the liver. The amount of alcohol in your blood is called your blood alcohol level. If you drink alcohol faster than the liver can break it down, this level rises.
Your blood alcohol level is used to legally define whether or not you are drunk. The legal limit for blood alcohol usually falls between 0.08 and 0.10 in most states. Below is a list of blood alcohol levels and the likely symptoms:
- 0.05 -- reduced inhibitions
- 0.10 -- slurred speech
- 0.20 -- euphoria and motor impairment
- 0.30 -- confusion
- 0.40 -- stupor
- 0.50 -- coma
- 0.60 -- breathing stops and death
You can have symptoms of being drunk at blood alcohol levels below the legal definition of being drunk. Also, people who drink alcohol frequently may not have symptoms until a higher blood alcohol level is reached.
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