ALCOHOLISM Alcoholism – disease which a person has a physical/ psychological dependence on drinks that contain alcohol Binge drinking - Drinking 5 or more alcoholic drinks in 1 sitting Alcohol is the MOST abused drug by high schoolers

ALCOHOL CONTENT Labels indicate the % of alcohol they contain Proof is a measure of the % of alcohol in the beverage Proof is 2x the % of alcohol (100 proof vodka is 50% alcohol)

SHORT-TERM EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL Depressant - Slows activity of the body’s central nervous system Slows breathing/ HR Decreased alertness Decreased coordination Blurred vision, slurred speech Liver and kidney problems – toxicity and dehydration Nausea, vomiting

DWI Driving While Intoxicated is the leading cause of death among teens In the U.S., HALF of all fatal automobile crashes are alcohol related (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) Accounts for nearly 30% of ALL fatal car crashes in New York

ZERO TOLERANCE LAWS It is against the law for a person under 21 to drink alcohol and operate a motor vehicle Any person under age 21 who is caught driving with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .02, or 1 DRINK– will be charged Over 21 – legal limit is .08

Blood Alcohol Content The amount of ethanol in a person’s blood expressed as a percentage

Factors Impacting the Effects of Alcohol on the Body Gender, age, weight, height Amount of food in stomach Concentration of alcoholic beverages consumed Amount of alcohol consumed Rate of consumption and absorption

Alcohol’s Effect on the Brain Activity slows  loss of sensation and decrease in sharpness of vision, hearing and other senses Loss of muscle coordination – causes loss of inhibition Blackouts

Alcohol’s Effect on the Liver The liver breaks down ethanol at the rate of 1 can of beer, 1 glass of wine or 1 shot of liquor per hour NOTHING can speed up the liver’s ability to breakdown alcohol

LIVER DAMAGE Fatty Liver- alcohol interferes with the liver’s ability to break down fats. Heavy drinking can cause the liver to fill with fat, which blocks blood flow, so the liver dies

LIVER DAMAGE Alcoholic hepatitis – inflammation of the liver caused by the toxic effects of alcohol. Causes weakness, fever, yellowing of the skin, enlargement of the liver

LIVER DAMAGE CIRRHOSIS Useless scar tissue replaces normal liver tissue, resulting in liver failure. This leads to high blood pressure, increased risk of infection, swelling of the abdomen and yellowing of the skin

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Birth defects caused by the effects of alcohol on the unborn child Heart defects Poor motor development Low birth weight Delayed growth Leading preventable cause of mental retardation in the U.S.

Long-term Health Risks ToleranceDependenceWithdrawal Brain Damage – nerve cells are destroyed causing forgetfulness, inability to concentrate and poor judgment Digestive problems – alcohol irritates the mouth, throat, esophagus, and stomach Can contribute to cancer

Stages of Alcoholism 1st Stage – Abuse Begins with social drinking but advances to memory loss, and blackouts. The person begins to lie/ make excuses to justify drinking. 2nd Stage - Dependence Person becomes physically dependent and can’t stop drinking. He/she may try to hide the problem, but job, school, at home suffers.

Stages of Alcoholism 3rd Stage – Addiction At this final stage, liver is damaged so less alcohol may be required to cause drunkenness. Withdrawal symptoms occur if person tries to stop drinking.

WWW.AA.ORG www.al-anon.alateen.org Support Groups Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) WWW.AA.ORG Al-Anon / Alateen www.al-anon.alateen.org