Scientific Name:
Ethyl alcohol
Street Names:
Booze, Drink, Bevvies, Liquor
Alcohol is a depressant drug that slows down the nervous system, relieving tension and anxiety. The effects vary according to the amount taken, and how it is taken i.e. drinking fast or slow, diluted or straight etc. Effects vary from being relaxed, confident, sociable to loss of judgement, decreased inhibitions, vomiting, slurred speech, memory loss and staggering.
Drug Form & Method of Use:
Alcohol is sold in many forms such as beer, wines, spirits and Alco-pops and is drunk.
Heath risks:
Drinking too much in one go can slow your body down to the point where it stops working altogether. Can also lead to alcoholism. Other risks include cancer of the throat, depression, kidney & liver damage, heart problems, inflammation of the pancreas, paranoia and mood swings/aggressiveness. Social problems also occur with the heavy use of alcohol such as STD's, unwanted pregnancy, violence and family breakdown.
Many fatal overdoses with drugs such as Heroin and tranquillisers happen when people have been drinking.
Effects of Alcohol on The Body:
The brain - Steady drinking over many years leads to permanent changes in the brain. One of the permanent effects of alcohol on the brain is to reduce the amount of brain tissue and to increase the size of the ventricles instead. Another way in which alcoholic drinks affect the brain is through depriving it of food substances such as vitamins. This is because heavy drinkers often neglect their diet, which can lead to vitamin deficiencies. Thiamine, one of the 'B' vitamins is most commonly missing from the diet and can lead to serious mental disturbance.
The Heart - The heart can be affected by the vitamin deficiencies caused by a neglected diet. The pumping action of the heart is weakened. Heart failure can result from this.
The Liver - Some of the most serious effects on the body of drinking alcoholic drinks are caused by damage done to the liver by alcohol. If alcohol is frequently in the blood in large amounts, it causes the liver cells to die and prevents the liver from working efficiently. This disease is called Cirrhosis. In the case of a generally healthy person, if alcohol is taken infrequently or only in moderate amounts, any damaged liver tissue has time to repair itself.
Two-thirds of the cases of Cirrhosis of the liver diagnosed in the UK are caused by alcohol.
The Stomach - Just one occasion when you drink heavily can irritate the stomach and cause sickness and pain. The steady drinking of alcohol can lead to the regular occurrence of these symptoms.
The Skin - Alcohol causes small blood vessels in the skin to widen, allowing more blood to flow close to the skin's surface. This produces a flushed skin colour and a feeling of warmth.
The Reproductive Organs - Your sex life can be harmed by drinking alcoholic drinks. Alcohol depresses nerve impulses. In men, it can depress those which cause erections. In women, heavy drinking during pregnancy can harm the foetus. The baby, when it is born, may be very small and could have reduced intelligence and facial deformities. This condition is called Foetal Alcohol Syndrome and babies born to mothers with an alcohol problem are at a high risk ofsuffering from this.
Weight - Alcohol contains sugar and other carbohydrates and so is a good from of energy. Heavy drinking can cause a serious weight problem due to alcohol's high carbohydrate content.
Pregnancy and Unborn Babies - Drinking during pregnancy significantly increases the chance of delivering a baby with Foetal Alcohol Syndrome, small head, possible brain damage, abnormal facial features, poor muscle tone, speech and sleep disorders and retarded growth and development.
Tolerance:
Misuse of alcohol can lead to Alcoholism (which is a recognised illness) and withdrawal symptoms can be dangerous. Sudden withdrawal symptoms (the DT's – delirium tremens) include sweating, anxiety, trembling, delirium and can even result in convulsions, coma and death.
Law:
Under 5 – It's illegal to give an alcoholic drink to a child under 5 except in certain circumstances (e.g. under medical supervision).
Under 14 - A person under 14 can't go into a bar or pub unless the pub has a 'children's certificate'. Without this certificate they can only go into parts that aren't licensed and where alcohol is either sold but not drunk (e.g. a sales point away from the pub), OR drunk but not sold (e.g. a beer garden or family room).
14 or 15 – They can go anywhere in a pub but can't drink alcohol.
16 or 17 – They can buy (or be bought) beer or cider so long as it's bought to eat with a meal, but not in a bar (i.e. only in a place specifically set aside for meals).
Under 18 – With the exception of having a meal in a pub, it's against the law for anyone under 18 to buy alcohol in a pub, off-licence or supermarket. It's also illegal to buy alcohol in a pub for someone who's not 18.
Anyone over 18 can buy and drink alcohol legally in licensed premises in Britain .
Further Information:
"ASCERT empowers people to make a positive difference where alcohol and drug related issues damage lives".
