Alcohol Is a Drug Drug – Is a Chemical That Causes Changes in a Person's

Drug – is a chemical that causes changes in a person’s body or behavior

Illegal drugs – are chemicals that are forbidden by law because they are dangerous and often unpredictable effects outweigh any useful purposes that the drug may have.

Drug abuse – when people intentionally misuse drugs of any kind for non- medical purposes

Ethanol – the alcohol found in beverages such as beer, wine, and liquor

Isopropyl – clear, colorless, flammable liquid used in compounds, lotions, and cosmetics

Methanol – colorless, flammable liquid used in antifreeze, fuel, general solvent and denaturant of ethyl alcohol.

Proof – a measure of a percentage of alcohol in a beverage. The proof is twice the percentage of alcohol by volume.

The amount of alcohol is determined by dividing the proof number in half. The higher the proof, the stronger the alcohol.

6% alcohol = ______proof

56 proof = ______% alcohol

Alcohol is a drug that acts as a powerful depressant.

Depressant – a drug that slows the activity of the central nervous system.

What’s in a Drink?

Ingredients:

1 Beer: 3-8% of alcohol Fermentation of cereal grains plus malt. Hops may be added for flavor.

Wine: 8-14% of alcohol Fermentation of grapes or other fruits

Hard Liquor: 40-50% of alcohol Distillation of a fermented brew of grain, fruit, or molasses

5 oz. of wine

1 – 12 oz. can of beer ½ oz. of alcohol

1 ½ oz. shot

Alcohol effects the body by slowing down the body’s normal reaction time, which may cause:

1. Confusion

2. Decreased Alertness

3. Poor Coordination

4. Blurred Vision

5. Drowsiness

Alcohol consumed in large amounts will affect the vital functions (heartbeat and breathing) resulting in death.

2 Who uses Alcohol

How many Americans use alcohol? • 100 million Americans use alcohol • In the past, men drank more than women. Today women match men drinking habits. • Rural areas have a lower percentage of drinkers than metropolitan areas. • Small percentage of drinkers are homeless people

Who in America use alcohol? • Heavy drinkers come from all cultures, back rounds, and levels of education. • Drinkers are all ages, gender and work in all kinds of jobs.

Why People Drink Alcohol

What are some reasons why people drink alcohol? • Celebrate religious events • Celebrate special occasions • Some people believe that drinking will increase their sex appeal and popularity

What are some reasons why people don't drink alcohol?

Deciding not to drink is a healthy choice because it eliminates the chance that alcohol will become a problem. • Health o Synergistic effects Mixing two drugs together can produce effects that are many times greater than the drug would produce if used alone. • Don't like the taste • Religious beliefs • Social customs • React unfavorably to alcohol • Some people want to mature socially and emotionally without using a drug • Harmful effects outweigh the positive effects

Legal Risks

The law prohibits minors from buying or possessing alcohol.

3 Restricted drugs ± drugs which are confined or limited

Prohibited drugs ± drugs which are forbidden by authority

Underage Drinking

A minor should know that your driving privilege will be suspended if you are convicted of:

1. Lying about your age to obtain alcohol 2. Purchasing, consuming, attempting to purchase, or transporting alcohol 3. Carrying a false I.D. card

Remember you don't have to be in or near a car, have a driver's license, or be old enough to drive for the law to apply.

You will be charged as a criminal and have a criminal record.

Alcohol related driving privilege suspensions are:

1. First offense ± 90 days

2. Second offense ± 1 year

3. Third offense and subsequent offenses ± 2 years

Even if you don't have a license and get caught drinking or carrying a false I.D., you will be penalized.

• You will be unable to apply for a learner's permit for the time period of the suspension. For youth under 16 or without a driver's license, penalties go into effect when the minor applies for a learner's permit. • In addition to driving privilege suspensions, you may pay a fine up to $500.00 and the police are also required to notify your parents. • The court may require that you successfully complete a program of alcohol education, intervention, or counseling. • You must pay a $25.00 restoration fee before you can get your license back or be considered for a learner's permit.

Underage drinking law also effects those over 21

Any adult who buys alcohol for anyone under 21 (even their own children) or anyone who makes or sells false I.D. cards can pay the following fines:

1. Mandatory fine of $1,000

2. $2,500 for each subsequent offense

3. Liable for any injuries and/or property damage caused by a minor.

Alcohol’s Effect’s On The Body (Page 446)

How does alcohol enter and effect the body? • Alcohol enters the body when someone consumes it orally.

Mouth – Alcohol is consumed and passes down the esophagus.

Stomach – A little alcohol goes through the stomach walls and into the bloodstream, but most passes into the small intestines.

Bloodstream – The heart pumps the blood (and the alcohol) to all the parts of the body.

How does alcohol effect the bloodstream? • Blood vessels widen, so more blood can flow to the skin’s surface, people who consume alcohol feel warm, because body heat is escaping through the skin and their body temperature is dropping.

Liver – The liver burns up or oxidizes the alcohol at the rate of ½ ounce per hour. This process of oxidization is when the liver changes alcohol into water, carbon dioxide, and energy. The body then eliminates the water by sweating and urination (excretory system). The carbon dioxide is eliminated by the respiratory system. This is why it is possible to smell alcohol on the breath of a person who has been drinking.

How does alcohol effect the liver? • Alcohol effect the liver’s ability to break down fats, the liver fills up with fat, excess fat breaks the flow of blood and the liver cells die, then the liver can fail at its functions

How does alcohol effect the kidneys? • Prevents the release of the body chemicals that regulate how much urine the kidneys make, kidneys will produce more than the normal amount of urine. Brain – Alcohol goes to the brain almost as soon as it is consumed (depresses the central nervous system). The alcohol keeps passing through the brain until the liver has had a chance to oxidize it.

How does alcohol effect the brain?

5 • Physical changes occur such as loss of sensation and a decrease in sharpness of vision, hearing, and other muscle coordination, which is why drinkers may loss their balance and stumble.

Short-term Physical Effects:

Intoxication ± the negative effects of alcohol has on a person body and behavior.

Black outs ± a period of time that a person who has been drinking can not recall.

Behavioral Effects

What is BAC, and what does it mean? • Blood Alcohol Concentration • is the amount of ethanol in a person's blood, measures the number of milligrams of ethanol per 100 milliliters of blood.

Example: 0.1% means 1/10 of 1% of fluid in the blood is alcohol.

What are some factors that can affect a person's BAC?

1. Gender

2. Age, weight and height

3. Volume of alcohol

4. Amount of food in the stomach

5. Concentration of alcohol in the beverages consumed

6. Consumed rate of consumption and absorption

The rate a person's liver breaks down alcohol is fairly constant: In one hour the liver can break down the amount of ethanol in: • one can of beer • one shot of liquor • one glass of wine

Inhibitions ± the person's inhibitions are the control that people put on their emotions and behavior in order to behave in socially acceptable ways.

Effects of BAC levels in the body: (Page 448)

BAC .02% - .05% - Feeling of warmth and well-being, mildly relaxing, less

6 inhibited, slight decrease in fine motor skills. Person should wait at lest an hour before driving. BAC .08% - Loss of coordination on certain tests, driving impaired for most people. BAC .10% - Fine motor skills are decreased, performance and responsiveness is reduced. There is a reduction in judgment as well as reaction time. People may feel more alert an talkative, but in reality the system are slowed. The person is legally drunk and impaired muscle coordination, perception and judgment necessary for driving, risk of crashes 6 times greater than when sober BAC .16% - The senses are dulled, especially speech, hearing and vision. Balance is altered and person may stagger. There is a decreased sense of pain, the person is obviously drunk, body coordination seriously affected, vision blurred and occasionally speech slurred and unclear. BAC .20% - Intoxication strong, significant loss of ability to carry on conversation, makes rational judgments, perceives events, difficulty walking without stumbling, risk for crashes 40 times greater than when sober. BAC .28% - Extremely intoxicated, stuporous BAC .35% - Severe intoxication; loss of consciousness; coma or death possible BAC .40% - .50% - Breathing and heart action can stop; coma and death probable.

Alcohol continues to be absorbed into the bloodstream 30 to 90 minutes after the last drink.

After a person does not continue to drink: • BAC decreases • Intoxication effects of alcohol slowly diminish • Reflexes and coordination slowly return to normal This process is called sobering up. Nothing can speed up the liver's ability to breakdown alcohol. Cold showers Exercise These only keep the person awake Fresh air Coffee

Hangover ± physical symptoms that are after effects of drinking too much alcohol.

Life Threatening Short-Term Effects

Motor-vehicle crashes: • 1/2 of all fetal crashes are alcohol related • 2/3 of all personal injuries in USA are alcohol related

7 Dealing with Drinkers and Drivers: • Intoxicated people must not be allowed to drive • You should not get into a car with a person who has been drinking • If you go places where people are drinking, make arrangements for your ride home o Taxi o Bus o Call parents, relative, or friend to came pick you up o Ride with someone who is not drinking • Do not risk riding with an intoxicated driver

Driving while intoxicated (DWI)/Driving under the influence (DUI) or Driving while imbidding alcohol or other substances (DIA) • Driver exceeds the level of BAC allowed by law in a state

Drivers who cause motor vehicle accidents can under ago:

1. Blood Test

2. Urine Test

3. Breath test

4. Saliva Test

These tests determine the persons BAC level to see if the person responsible for the accident is drunk.

BAC level of .01 is considered legally drunk in the state of Pennsylvania

(Please see Mrs. Fink for the current up-to-date laws)

Consequences to a BAC level above the legal limit:

1. Driver's license taken away

2. Prosecution

Consequences of a minor with a BAC level above the legal limit. Anyone under the age of 21 driving with a BAC of .02 or higher can be charged with a DUI.

DUI offenders who are minors (18-21 years old) are processed like adults while offenders who are juveniles (under 18 years old) are processed through

8 juvenile court. Penalties for juvenile offenders may differ from adult DUI offenders.

This law states that any person over the age of 18 arrested for driving under the influence…

1. will be required to complete an alcohol Highway safety course. 2. may face a license suspension of one year, 48 hours in jail, and a fine up to $5,000. 3. Will pay all additional costs such as: - high auto insurance - court costs

If you are under the age of 18 and are stopped for DUI you …

1. May be arrested and detained for blood, breath and/or urine test. 2. Will have your parents notified of the arrest by the police 3. May have a juvenile complaint filed against you within 5 days 4. May be an adjudicated delinquent 5. May have your fate decided by juvenile authorities

Synergism – Drugs that increase each other’s effects when taken together. Example: Alcohol is a depressant drug and taken with sleeping pills (which is also a depressant) the effect will be doubled and it can cause a person to slip into a coma or cause death.

Overdose- taking an excessive amount of a drug that leads to a coma or death. • alcohol continues to be absorbed into the blood stream 30-90 minutes after the last drink • BAC can increase even if the drinker becomes unconscious. • First time drinkers who participate in a drinking contest may die from alcohol poisoning.

Long-term Health Risks

A person who drinks heavily over time, every system in the body is affected.

Tolerance – the body becomes accustomed to or builds up a resistance to a drug

Dependence (addiction) – body develops a resistance to a drug and requires the drug to function normally.

9 • the drinker's body develops a chemical need for alcohol • Dependence occurs as tolerance builds

Withdrawal ± a group of symptoms that occur when a dependent person stops taking a drug.

Signs of withdrawal:

1. Shakiness

2. Sleep problems

3. Irritability

4. Rapid heartbeat

5. Sweating

6. See, smell, or feeling imaginary objects

Brain damage: • Destroys nerve cells in the brain causing¼ forgetfulness inability to concentrate poor judgment which interferes with normal everyday functions

Digestive damage: • Irritates the lining of the mouth, throat, esophagus, and stomach. • The irritation may cause the tissue to swell and become inflamed; repeated irritation may develop into cancer. • Alcohol also affects the intestine by causing recurring diarrhea. • Alcohol causes the stomach to produce to much acid which will result in heartburn, indigestion, and ulcers.

Liver damage: • Interferes with the liver's ability to break down fats. • Liver begins to fill with fats • Excess fat blocks the flow of blood to the liver. • Fat filled liver cells will die causing: Cirrhosis ± disease in which useless scar tissue replaces normal liver tissue. • Since there is no blood flow to the scar tissue the liver begins to fail.

Drinkers who suffer from cirrhosis:

10 1. High blood pressure 2. Get infections easily 3. Swelling of the abdomen 4. Yellowing of the skin and eyes 5. Liver disease 6. Death

Alcohol Hepatitis ± inflammation of the liver caused by the toxic effects of alcohol

Hepatitis causes: 1. Weakness 2. Fever 3. Yellowing of skin 4. Enlarged liver 5. Liver failure 6. Death

Heart disease: • Excessive drinking contributes to high blood pressure, heart rate increasing, and irregular heart beat. • Can cause disruption in blood flow and result in heart problems. • Alcohol causes fat to be deposited in the heart muscle which can lead to heart disease (which is one of the leading causes of death in the USA)

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS)

• group of birth defects caused by the effects of alcohol on an unborn child

Babies born with FAS: 1. Heart defects 2. Malformed faces 3. Delayed growth 4. Poor motor development

• Alcohol prevents FAS babies from ever developing the reasoning abilities of healthy babies. • Alcohol is the leading preventable cause of mental retardation in America.

Alcoholism: Alcoholism ± addiction to alcohol • Psychologically

11 Alcoholics consider drinking a regular, essential part of coping with daily life. • Physically An alcoholics body requires alcohol to function. • Alcoholics drinking patterns eventually control every aspect of their lives • Anyone who drinks, even one drink is a risk of becoming an alcoholic.

Stages of Alcoholism Teenagers tend to go through the stages faster than adult alcoholics do:

Early stage of Alcoholism: Social drinker • A person who drinks small amounts of alcohol with meals and special occasions, may consume alcohol to relieve stress. Problem drinker • Preoccupied with drinking and may drink excessive amounts of alcohol. This occurs when drinking alcohol becomes a person’s routine way of dealing with stress, escape from problems at home, school, and work.

Problem drinkers use alcohol as a “crutch” 1. Drink alone 2. Become dependent on alcohol 3. Drink solely to get drunk 4. Make excuses for their drinking crashes 5. Prone to unintentional injuries Alcohol contributes to many violent crimes 1. Fights 2. Spousal and child abuse 3. Rape 4. Suicide 5. Murder

Middle Stage of Alcoholism: • Alcoholics dependence on alcohol becomes absolute. • Can not stop after one drink • Refuse to acknowledge their drinking problem • Effects of excessive alcohol consumption o Absence from school/work o Strained family, social and business relationships o Alcohol dominates the drinker’s life

Late Stage of Alcoholism:

12 • Alcoholics rapidly deteriorate mentally, emotionally and physically] • Alcoholics entire lives revolve around drinking and they experience reverse tolerance

Reserve tolerance ± is a condition in which less and less alcohol causes intoxication.

Serious health problems occur in the late stage: 1. Malnutrition 2. Liver and brain damage 3. Cancer 4. Lung disease 5. Heart disease

• Without psychological and medical help, the chronic alcoholic may die • 5% of alcoholics experience delirium tremens (DT's) when they stop using alcohol

Delirium tremens ± is a reaction of the central nervous system to the absence of alcohol

1. Uncontrollable shaking of the entire body 2. Nightmares 3. Seizures (can cause death) 4. Fear of animals and people 5. Insomnia

Alcoholism and Others:

Alcoholism causes costly problems for society and causes an emotional ordeal for everyone involved ± family, friends, and co-workers.

Cost to Society: (Cost 100 ± 200 billion dollars annually) • 1/2 of all traffic fatalities • Alcohol related crimes • Medical expenses • Injuries • Lost of productivity on the job • Treatment programs • 150,000 premature deaths per year o Violence o Automobile accidents

Alcoholism and the family:

13 • 1 out of 8 Americans grow up in an alcoholic family • Spouses and children who live in a home with an alcoholic will/may experience: o Stress o Feeling of uncertainty o Embarrassment o Verbal abuse o Physical abuse o Family life centers around the needs of the drinking member o Could lead to separation and divorce

Alcoholism and crime: • Alcohol can play a role in violent behaviors o Domestic violence o Murders o Suicide o Rape o Child abuse

Codependency: Codependent - A person who assume responsibility for an alcoholics needs, feelings and happiness.

• This person will not acknowledge their own needs • Focus on taking care of others • Losing the sense of their own identity • Primary enablers of their addicted loved ones

Enablers ± people who unintentionally protect addicts from the consequences of their behavior. • can help the addict to avoid seeking needed help

Treatment of Alcoholism

• Alcoholics must acknowledge their problem and ask for help • Sometimes it takes a lose of a loved one, accident, lose of a job, etc. before an alcoholic will recognize that there is a problem

Anabuse ± is a drug that causes a person to get ill if he/she drinks alcohol.

Detoxification ± involves removing all alcohol from a person's body. • The person will experience withdrawal symptoms that last from 3- 7 days.

Rehabilitation ± is the process of learning to cope with the stress of everyday

14 living without alcohol. • Receive counseling to recognize their disease and behavior. • Helps in building healthy relationship • Support Groups:

Alcoholics Anonymous ± (AA) composed of recovering alcoholics who give encouragement and support to help other alcoholics to stop drinking • Founded in 1935 • Has one million members • World wide organization • Weekly meeting to discuss and share struggles with one another

Al-Anon ± helps adults, friends, and family members of alcoholics learn how they can contribute to the recovery process

Alateen ± provides help for teenagers whom live with alcoholics

Intervention ± is a planned confrontation with the alcoholic, family members, a member of a support group, and an alcohol counselor. • The group presents the alcoholic with a treatment plan and tells the alcoholic what steps to take for recovery.

Choosing not to drink:

Why people choose not to drink?

• Deciding not to drink is a healthy choice because it eliminates the chance that alcohol will become a problem.

Abstain ± to choose not to take a particular action

Refusing Alcohol: Refusal skills ± involve refusing to do something that others may pressure you into against your will. To prepare yourself for the pressure you may face, ask yourself the following questions:

• What are my reasons for not drinking alcohol at this time in my life? • Are my friends pressuring me into drinking? • List five consequences if I drink?

You may find that people will not accept your decision not to drink:

15 • People who drink want others to see people drink around them so they are accepted. • Remember you never need to apologize for not drinking

You only need to say “NO”

Alternatives to Alcohol use: 1. Sports 2. Hobbies 3. Playing an instrument 4. Helping an organization (voluntary work) 5. Part-time job

Teenagers who abstain from alcohol are likely to participate in healthy alternatives.