1. Alcohol Notes
Ethyl alcohol (ethanol) is the drinkable alcohol. It is produced by the fermentation of grains and fruits. Most drinks range between 2% - 20% for beer and wine. Distilled drinks range from 40%-50% or more alcohol.
Alcohol is a depressant. It slows down vital functions – resulting in slurred speech, unsteady movement, disturbed perceptions, and an inability to react quickly.
Alcohol overdose causes more severe effects: inability to feel pain, toxicity where the body vomits poison, unconsciousness, finally coma and death.
Alcohol is absorbed into the bloodstream via small blood vessels in the
walls of the stomach and small intestine % of alcohol is absorbed
in the small intestine. Within minutes of drinking alcohol, it travels to the
brain quickly slowing the action of nerve cells. Alcohol is also carried to
the liver. The liver eliminates alcohol from the blood though a process
called metabolizing, where it is converted to a non-toxic substance. The
liver can only metabolize a certain amount at a time (approximately
.01% per hour) leaving the excess circulating throughout the body.
Most body systems are affected by alcohol. Chronic alcohol
consumption causes damage to the brain, liver, heart, stomach,
pancreas, and intestines.

2. Alcohol impairment
Alcohol affects everyone differently. Your blood alcohol level or Blood
Alcohol Concentration (BAC) is affected by many factors:
Age, height, weight
Gender
Physical condition
Amount of food consumed prior to drinking
Other drugs or medications
Concentration of alcohol (The more alcohol concentrated a beverage is, the faster it will be absorbed)
How much is consumed
How fast it is consumed
Most states have set .08% BAC as the legal limit of intoxication.
Proof is 2 times the percent of alcohol concentration in a beverage.
So a beverage that is 80 proof is 40% pure ethanol (drinkable alcohol).

3. Short term effects Long Term Effects
Slurred speech Drowsiness Vomiting
Diarrhea Headache Upset stomach
Distorted vision Distorted Hearing Decreased perception/coordination
Unconsciousness Anemia Coma
Blackouts – memory lapses
Long Term Effects
Unintentional injuries – car crash, falls, burns, drowning
Unintentional injuries – firearms, sexual assault, domestic violence
Alcohol is present in more than one half of all incidents of domestic violence.
Increased on the job injuries and loss of productivity
Increased family problems, broken relationships
Alcohol poisoning
Liver disease, Nerve damage
Permanent damage to the brain
Vitamin B deficiencies leads to a disorder which can include amnesia, apathy
and disorientation
Ulcers, Gastritis
Malnutrition
Cancer of the mouth and throat

4. 10 Facts about Alcohol
Experimentation with drugs & alcohol begins around the ages of
90% of adults report using alcohol at some time during their lives.
80% of teens don’t know that a 12 oz. can of beer has the same amount of alcohol as a shot of whiskey; similarly, 55% don’t know that a 5 oz. glass of wine and a 12 oz. can of beer have the same amount of alcohol.
Among teens who binge drink, 39% say they drink alone, 58% say they drink when they are upset, 30% say they drink when they are bored, and 37% say they drink to get high
Alcohol is associated with the leading causes of death and injury among teenagers today.
87% of high school seniors have used alcohol in comparison, 65% have smoked cigarettes, 50% have used marijuana, and 9% have used cocaine.
70% of teen pregnancies occur while under the influence of alcohol or other drugs.
Researchers estimate that alcohol use is implicated in 1/3-2/3 of sexual assault and date-rape cases among teens and college students.
A survey of high school students found that 18% of girls and 39% of male say that it is okay to force sex if the girl is drunk or stoned.
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome babies suffer from smaller heads, deformed facial features, abnormal joints and limbs, poor coordination, problems with learning, short memories.

5. The brain images show how alcohol may harm teen mental function
The brain images show how alcohol may harm teen mental function. Compared with a young non-drinker, a 15-year-old with an alcohol problem showed poor brain activity during a memory task. This finding is noted by the lack of pink and red coloring.