 Body size and gender  Food  Slows the passage of alcohol into the bloodstream  Amount and rate of intake  When alcohol is consumed faster than the liver can break it down, intoxication results  Alcohol poisoning can occur

 Alcohol and medications don’t mix  Illness, injury or death can occur  Multiplier effect: the medication has a greater or different effect than if it were taken alone ▪ both prescription drugs and over-the-counter medicine

 Definition: drinking 5 or more alcoholic beverages at one sitting  Rapid binge drinking is especially dangerous  Can cause alcohol poisoning  Can be fatal

 Definition: is a severe and potentially fatal physical reaction to an alcohol overdose  It acts as a depressant and shuts down involuntary actions such as breathing and the gag reflex that prevents choking  Alcohol is a stomach irritant  If involuntary actions are shut down, people can choke on their own vomit and it can be fatal

Beer 341ml 5% alcohol Wine 142ml 12% alcohol Whiskey 43ml 40% alcohol Alcohol Content = 17ml

 Passing out is a common effect of drinking too much alcohol  If somebody passes out from drinking, call for help ▪ The alcohol is still metabolizing while they are passed out, which makes it very dangerous  Symptoms:  Mental confusion, coma, vomiting, seizures  Slow respiration (breaths)  Irregular heartbeat  Hypothermia  Sever dehydration from vomiting

 In teens, can hinder growth and development  Will damage most body systems  Changes to the Brain ▪ Addiction ▪ Brain damage  Cardiovascular Changes ▪ Damage to the heart ▪ Inflamed heart

 Liver Problems ▪ Fatty Liver: Fat builds up in the liver and cannot be broken down. The fat blocks blood going to the liver cells, leading to cell death  Digestive System Problems ▪ Digestive ling is damaged; can lead to stomach ulcers and cancer of the stomach and esophagus  Pancreas Problems ▪ The lining of the pancreas swells, and blocks the passage from the pancreas to the small intestine. Chemical destroy the pancreas, causing pain and vomiting, and can cause death

 When a pregnant female drinks, so does her fetus  The fetus liver is not developed to handle alcohol  Risk of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) ▪ Baby born with small head, and deformities of the face, hands, feet. ▪ Heart, liver and kidney defects, as well as vision and hearing problems, are common ▪ Slow growth and coordination ▪ May have difficulties with learning, attention, memory and problem solving

 Definition: a disease in which a person has a physical or psychological dependence on drinks that contain alcohol  Alcoholic: an addict who is dependent on alcohol

 Cravings  A strong need to drink. They cannot handle stress with alcohol  Loss of control  Cannot limit drinking  Physical Dependence  Withdrawal symptoms (sweating, shakes, anxiety) when not drinking  Tolerance  Needs to drink increasingly more each time  Health, family and legal problems

 There is a genetic link to alcoholism  Children with parents who are alcoholics are 4x more likely to become an alcoholic themselves ▪ They aren’t predisposed  In Canada, there are an estimated 640, 000 alcoholics

 Drinking alcohol impairs vision, reaction time, and co-ordination  Can be disastrous or even deadly  Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC)  The amount of alcohol in a person’s blood, expressed as the weight of alcohol in a given volume of blood ▪ 80mg/100ml of blood (about 2 drinks for an adult) ▪ 50mg/100ml of blood (about 1 drink for an adult)

 Harm to the driver and others  Immediate suspension of a driver’s licence  Alcohol-related injuries, property damage and death  Loss of parental trust and respect  Heavy fine or jail time  A police record, possible lawsuits  Higher insurance. 

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