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Commonly Known As: Beer, wine, liquor, booze, brew, brewskis,
coolers, there are thousands of slang words for alcohol and alcoholic
beverages. The principle categories of alcoholic beverages are beer,
wine and distilled spirits.
Access to Drug: Alcohol is a legal substance and can easily
be bought commercially. Beer and wine is also made at home. It is kept
in homes, served at restaurants, bars and parties and accompanies just
about any social event. It is regulated by law and only people over
the age of 21 are allowed to purchase alcohol. Arrests can be made for
possession by a minor, under the influence, sales to a minor, driving
under the influence, public intoxication, illegal sales without a license,
serving to a minor and numerous other offenses. The same laws apply
to boating and watercraft vehicles.
Scientific Name: ethyl alcohol, C2H6O. It is fermented from
barley/hopps, fruit and grapes, or grain. It is a central nervous system
depressant.
Interesting Facts: Except for some Moslem countries, the use
of alcohol has been documented in civilized societies throughout history
as far back as 8000 B.C. The prohibition of alcohol has also accompanied
its use through time including The Chinese Canon of History in 650 B.C.
where it was recognized that complete prohibition was impossible because
“men loved their beer so much”. The 13 year prohibition
in the United States starting in 1919 was also unsuccessful and ended
due to pressure from the Wet Party and others who wanted to drink. Beer
was also used in Colonial Times as a replacement for contaminated water
supplies. In many points through history distilled spirits, beer and
wine have been touted with medicinal benefits. The most successful treatment
for alcoholism to date has been Alcoholics Anonymous, which sprang up
in the 1930’s, and continues to grow with the increasing awareness
of the damaging effects of alcoholism on people and society as a whole.
Methods of Use: Consumed orally as a drink, either straight
or mixed with water, soda, juice, and a wide variety of other concoctions.
Alcohol has a distinct odor which can be smelled on the breath and through
sweat glands. Attempts to disguise the smell of consumed alcohol are
usually fruitless, despite the myth that vodka does not have an odor.
Alcohol is also widely abused with other drugs such as cocaine, marijuana,
methamphetamine and prescription medications.
Common Effects When Intoxicated: The effects vary, depending
on the amount of alcohol used, body weight and food consumption. Low
to moderate use can lead to skin flushing, heightened excitement and
stimulation, relaxation, impaired thought processes, motor coordination,
and judgment, and emotional volatility. As consumption increases, coordination
decreases, speech slurs, there is frequent urination due to the diuretic
effects of alcohol, dizziness and confusion, black outs, passing out
and in some instances, coma or even death. Behavior can become aggressive/violent,
or maudlin and depressed.
Duration of Intoxication: The onset of the effects of one drink
of alcohol is about 15 to 30 minutes, depending on stomach content.
The effects can be felt for 30 to 90 minutes, with another 45 to 60
minutes to come down and an after effect of about 1 to 2 hours including
sleepiness, agitation, anxiety, headache, thirst and hunger. Because
alcohol is secreted through the liver and urine, it does not stay in
the body for a long period of time.
Withdrawal: The intensity of the withdrawal depends on the amount
of alcohol consumed. With low to moderate doses, the user will feel
a slight headache, thirst, some flu like symptoms, and lethargy. The
more alcohol consumed, the more intense the hangover. Frequent abusers
of alcohol will experience tremors, cravings, stomach problems, vomiting,
continued impairment of judgment, thought processes, and anxiety. They
will have difficulty regulating body temperature and adjusting eyes
to light.
Effects of Long Term Use:
Abuse, Dependence, and Addiction: Because alcohol is legal and
due to societal, peer and familial pressure, it is often abused. Dependence
can grown out of the abuse when use becomes related to life events and
the body develops a physiological dependence. Addiction, or alcoholism,
is known to affect about 10 to 12 million people and is caused by a
combination of heredity, environment and attitudes regarding drinking.
Associated Risks:
Alcohol is a major factor in car accidents and traffic fatalities. There
are a wide variety of diseases and traumas directly or indirectly
related to alcohol that can cause death including liver damage, brain
damage, minor accidents such as falls and suicide. It is estimated that
alcohol is a factor in at least 40% of all violent crimes and 80% of the
prison population admit to being under the influence of alcohol or
alcohol/drugs at the time they committed a crime.
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