Alcohol

What is Alcohol?

• Alcohol is a psychoactive substance, which means that it has the ability to change consciousness and to alter perceptions and behavior.

• The alcohol found in beverages is known as ethanol or ethyl alcohol. This is the only type of alcohol that is safe to consume, and then only in small quantities.

How Alcohol is Produced

• Fermentation:– Airborne yeast settles on over-ripe fruits and grains (a.k.a-

“mash”) and grows from their sugars– The yeast breaks down the sugars and creates ethyl-

alcohol • Distillation: – Increases alcohol’s potency – Steam collected from boiled alcoholic mash is gathered in

a special apparatus (usually coils of metal tubing). When cooled, the resulting liquid has a high alcohol content and a low water volume.

Types of Alcohol

• Beer- made from grain, malt, hops, yeast, and water

• Wine- made from fruits (grapes, berries, peaches)

• Hard liquor- made from corn, potatoes, sugar cane, wine, and malts/grains

Effects on the Body

• Short Term:– Initially relaxed and self-confident– Depressant (worsens people with

depression)• Makes you tired- sedative

– Mood swings- crying, laughing and aggression

– Leads to violence (committers and victims)

– Strongly correlated with injuries• Cars, boats, falls, drowning, choking, fires

Effects on the Body (Cont.)

• Long Term– Suppresses the Immune system. – Inflames the Kidneys leading to fluid retention

and can lead to severe swelling. – Consuming alcohol before age 25 can stunt

growth– Causes fat deposits on the liver and liver can

become severely inflamed. • Cirrhosis: Liver becomes unable to perform because of

scarring of its tissues. Alcohol kills liver cells, which do not regenerate.

Healthy Liver Vs. Cirrhosis

Tyler Blalock

• Graduated from North Meck and attended App State

• “Family Weekend”• 19 years old• Had to contact 2 families to

come see the body

Know the Risks:Teens and Alcohol

• Car wrecks• Sexually active teens at risk for sexually

transmitted diseases• Intentional injuries: suicide, homicide• Unintentional injuries: falls, drowning• Victimization

Consuming Alcohol Underage:Reasons

• reducing stress • increasing sociability • availability of alcohol • feeling/acting older • escaping from problems • parental drinking behavior • peer pressure • reduce emotional pain

Gender and Alcohol

• Guys: – Greatest risk for alcohol abuse– Patterns of drinking usually

begin during late adolescence and progress until, after years of drinking alcohol, alcoholism may develop

– Erectile dysfunction, low sex drive, damaged sperm

Gender and Alcohol (Cont.)

• Girls – More alcoholics are female– develop alcoholism later in life

than men– begin regular drinking behavior

at a later age than men– At risk for victimization, lower

sexual inhibitions

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome• Since alcohol passes through the

placenta, small amounts of alcohol can result in birth defects including hearing loss, vision deficits, neurological impairment, cardiac abnormalities, and skeletal system malformations.

• The physical and neurological damage resulting to the fetus from heavy maternal drinking is known as fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS)

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (Cont.)• learning disorders • lower-than-normal IQ • poor memory • decreased concentration • lack of fine motor skills • poor judgment • hyperactivity • developmental delays • decreased impulse control • poor comprehension • disorganization • poor social skills • difficulty differentiating right from wrong

Alcoholism

• Characterized by recurrent alcohol use with negative consequences or drinking patterns that result in personal, legal, professional, or academic problems

• characterized by long-term use of alcohol which, if withheld, results in withdrawal symptoms

• Treatment: Hospital stay while detoxing, rehabilitation clinics, halfway houses, AA

Alcohol Poisoning… What to do

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqY7DZ46prA (Alcohol Poisoning what to do)

Legal Implications

• Illegal to buy/drink alcohol under 21.• DUI- Driving Under the Influence (alcohol or drugs)• DWI- Driving While Intoxicated (alcohol)• Open container– Possible imprisonment, $70 ticket, court costs,

community service• Driving– License revoked 1 year, $2,000 in fines, a night in the

“drunk tank” and a misdemeanor on record

Medical Amnesty

• Colleges and Universities in NC have adopted Medical Amnesty policies that prevent the caller or the injured person from getting in trouble for underage drinking

• North Carolina has drafted a Medical Amnesty bill that will allow all residents of NC to be covered by Medical Amnesty, if passed

Source

• http://publichealth.hsc.wvu.edu/alcohol/