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People take drugs because they want to change something in their lives.
Here are some reasons young people have given for taking drugs:
-to fit in
-to escape or relax
- to relieve boredom
- to seem grown up
-to rebel
-to experiment

Alcohol is a drug. It’s classed as a depressant, meaning it slows down vital functions, resulting in slurred speech, unsteady movement, disturbed perceptions and an inability to reacts quickly.

There are different kinds of alcohol. Ethyl alcohol (ethanol), the only alcohol used in beverages, is produced by the fermentation of grains and fruits. Fermenting is a chemical process whereby yeast acts upon certain ingredients in the food, creating alcohol.

ALCOHOL CONTENT

Beer 2-6 %
Cider 4-8%
Wine 8-20%
Tequila 40%
Rum >40%
Brandy >40%
Gin 40-47%
Whiskey 40-50%
Vodka 40-50%
Liqueurs 15-60%

UNDERSTANDING HOW ALCOHOL AFFECTS THE BODY

Alcohol is absorbed into the bloodstream via small blood vessels in the walls of the stomach and small intestine. Within minutes of drinking alcohol, it travels from the stomach to the brain, where it quickly produces its affects, slowing the action of nerve cells.

Approximately 20% of alcohol is absorbed through the stomach. Most of the remaining 80% is absorbed through the small intestine.

Alcohol is also carried through the bloodstream to the liver, which eliminates the alcohol through a process called “metabolizing,” where it is converted to a non-toxic substance. The liver can only metabolize a certain amount at a time, leaving the excess circulating throughout the body. Thus the intensity of the effect on the body is directly related to the amount consumed.

When the amount of alcohol in the blood exceeds a certain level, the respiratory (breathing) system slows down markedly, and can cause a coma or deaths, because oxygen no longer reaches the brain.

YOUNG PEOPLE VERSES ADULTS: What’s the difference?

A young persons body can’t cope with alcohol like an adult can.

Drinking is more harmful to teens than adults because their brains are still developing throughout adolescence and well into young adulthood.

Drinking during this critical growth stage can lead to lifelong damage in brain function, particularly as it relates to memory, motor skills (ability to move) and coordination.

According to research, young people who begin drinking before age 15 are 4 times more likely to develop alcohol dependence than those who begin drinking at age 21.

WHAT IS BINGE DRINKING?

Binge drinking is the practice of consuming large quantities of alcohol in a single session, usually defined as five or more drinks at one time for a man, or four or more drinks at one time for a woman.

About 90% of alcohol consumed by youth under the age of 21 is in the form of binge drinking.

WHAT IS ALCOHOLISM?

Alcoholism (alcohol dependence) has 4 symptoms:
1. Craving: a strong need, or compulsion, to drink.
2. Loss of control: the inability to limit one’s drinking on any given occasion.
3. Physical dependence: withdrawal symptoms, such as nausea, sweating, shakiness, and anxiety, occur when alcohol use is stopped after a a period of heavy drinking.
Serious dependence can lead to life-threatening withdrawal symptoms including convulsions, starting 8 to 12 hours after the last drink. The delirium tremens (D.T.’s) begins 3 to 4 days later where the person becomes extremely agitated, shakes, hallucinates and loses touch with reality.
4. Tolerance: The need to drink greater amounts of alcohol in order to get a high.

An increasingly heavy drinker often says he could stop whenever he chooses – he just never ‘chooses’ to do so. Alcoholism is not a destination, but a progression, along road of deterioration in which life continuously worsens.

SOME STATISTICS

• Alcohol kills more teenagers than all other drugs combined.
• Alcohol is a factor in the causes of death among 15-24 year olds: accidents, homicides and suicides.
• Youth who drink are 7.5 times more likely to use other illegal drugs and 50 times more likely to use cocaine than young people who never drink.
• One survey found that 32% of the heavy drinkers over 12 were also illegal drug users.

SHORT –TERM EFFECTS

Depending how much is taken and the physical condition of the individual, alcohol can cause:
• Slurred speech
• Drowsiness
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Upset stomach
• Headaches
• Breathing difficulties
• Distorted vision and hearing
• Impaired judgement
• Decreased perception and coordination
• Unconsciousness
• Anemia (loss of red blood cells)
• Coma
• Blackouts (memory losses, where the drinker cannot remember events that occurred while under the influence.

LONG – TERM EFFECTS

• Unintentional injuries such as car crash, falls, burns, drowning
• Intentional injuries such as firearm injuries, sexual assault, domestic violence
• Increased on-the-job injuries and loss of productivity
• Increased family problems, broken relationships
• Alcohol poisoning
• High blood pressure, stroke, and other heart-related diseases
• Liver disease
• Nerve damage
• Sexual problems
• Permanent damage to the brain
• Vitamin B deficiency, which can lead to a disorder characterised by amnesia, apathy and disorientation
• Ulcers
• Gastritis
• Malnutrition
• Cancer of the mouth and throat

Worried about teenage drinking? Click here for nine tips every parent should be aware of.

Posted with permission from the FOUNDATION FOR A DRUG FREE WORLD