1. Alcohol
Mrs. Davis

2. Alcohol Alcohol is hard on a growing body.
It takes half as much alcohol to damage a teen’s brain as it does an adult’s brain.
The brain does not stop developing until the mid 20’s.
The brain can completely shut down breathing and/or swallowing and gag reflex if there is alcohol poisoning.

5. Teen Alcohol Addiction
Children and teens become chemically dependent much faster than adults (as fast as several weeks or months).
Young people who begin drinking before age 15 are 4 times more likely to develop alcohol addiction than those who being drinking at age 21.
A child who reaches age 21 without abusing alcohol or using drugs is virtually certain never to do so.

6. Teens attitude toward drinking
Teens attitude toward drinking alcohol. (often the goal is “Let’s get drunk”)
Drinking fogs thinking and erodes judgment. When you combine alcohol with a teenager’s natural risk taking and desire to impress their friends, dangerous things can happen.
Teens are less capable than adults of knowing when they’ve had too much to drink and rationalize that it’s okay to drive after drinking.

7. Alcohol Risks for Teens
Unplanned pregnancies
Suicide/Homicide
It’s a gateway drug
Violence
Drinking and driving
Rape
Alcohol Poisoning
Athletic code
Alcoholism
Accidents
School Suspension
Cases of STD’s

8. Why do teens drink?? To escape problems To deal with stress
To feel more confident
Boredom
To fit in

9. Small amounts of alcohol
How small amounts of alcohol affect the body/behavior:
Emotions intensified
Alertness
Judgment
Reasoning and memory
Lose your inhibitions

10. Large amounts of alcohol
How larger amounts of alcohol affect the body/behavior:
Coordination
Reaction time
Speech
Vision
Passed out

11. Different factors influence alcohol’s effects
Amount of food in stomach
Body type (weight/gender)
Tolerance
Rate of intake
Medicine

12. Binge Drinking
Binge Drinking – Excessive alcohol use, men consuming 5 or more drinks and women consuming 4 or more drinks within a short period of time.
A drink consists of:
12 oz. of beer
5 oz. of wine
1-1/4 oz. of liquor
The liver is the primary organ responsible for the breakdown of alcohol.
The liver can oxidize (burn up) ½ an ounce per hour.

13. The Path of Alcohol Mouth: consumed and passed along to the esophagus
Stomach: a little goes into the stomach walls & bloodstream, most passes through small intestines
Small Intestines: Rapidly absorbed
Bloodstream: Heart pumps blood and alcohol to all parts of the body
Brain: Goes to the brain almost as soon as consumed. The alcohol keeps passing through the brain until the liver has had time to oxidize it (burn it up).
Liver: Oxidizes the alcohol (changes alcohol into water, carbon dioxide, and energy). Body eliminates it by sweating and urinating.

14. Proof vs. Percent Proof – distilled beverage’s alcohol content.
If you cut the number in half, you get the actual amount of alcohol in the bottle.
Eighty proof means 40% of the liquid in the bottle is alcohol.
If something is 50% alcohol, the proof is 100.

15. Alcohol Terms
Ethanol - the type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages.
Fermentation - the chemical action of yeast on sugars to make alcohol/ethanol.
Intoxication - the physical and mental impairment from using alcohol.

16. Long terms effects alcohol has on the body
Brain damage
Chronic liver problem
Stomach and skin problems
Vitamin deficiencies
Loss of appetite

17. Health Consequences
Fatty Liver – results from the deposition of fat in liver cells. This is the earliest stage of alcohol-related liver disease.
Cirrhosis of the Liver – severe scarring and disruption of the normal structure of the liver – hard scar tissue replaces soft health tissue.
Hepatitis – Fat deposits in liver cells, inflammation and mild scaring of the liver.
** Many heavy drinkers will progress from fatty liver to hepatitis or cirrhosis over time.

18. Alcohol Terms
Synergistic Effect – when two or more medicines are combined make both more powerful.
Blackout – an amnesia-like period that is associated with drinking. The person has no memory or occurrences

19. Blood Alcohol Concentration
The amount of alcohol present in your bloodstream.
BAC CHART
% - slightly affected (legally intoxicated for teens!)
% - impaired
% - under the influence, blackouts
% - lose control, pass out
.40% + up - coma or death

22. D.U.I.
Driving under the influence (D.U.I.) – all types of impaired driving, from driving drunk to driving while under the influence of drugs (whether prescribed, abused, or illegal).

23. Alcohol + Minors = Penalties
** Even if you are not drinking, you can get charged!
Possession, consumption, purchase, or receipt of alcohol.
Occupying a residence with people under 21 possessing alcohol.
Rent a hotel or motel to drink.
Carry or obtain a fake ID.
Lending a license or state ID to a friend.
** In a car, EVERYONE in the car can be charged for transporting alcohol, even if it is NOT opened or it’s EMPTY!!!

24. Alcohol + Minors = Penalties
1st Offense: Three-month suspension of driving privileges: six- month suspension with refusal of alcohol testing. 2nd Offense: One-year suspension of driver’s license: two-year suspension with refusal of testing.

25. Adult: 21 or Older
If under if considered “impaired” can still get a D.U.I.
If you refuse testing, your license will be suspended immediately.
** IMPLIED CONSENT – when you sign your drivers’ license you say you will take a breathalyzer test.

26. Alcoholism
Is a disease. You can be addicted two ways: physically and mentally.
Long term effects include: cirrhosis of the liver, cancers, fatty liver disease, heart disease, and early death.
** 1 out of 12 people in the U.S. suffer from alcohol abuse or alcohol related problems.
** Alcoholism runs in families!

27. Stage 1: Pre-Alcoholic Social drinking Develops tolerance
Drink to feel better about self

28. Stage 2: Early Alcoholic
Blackout from alcohol
Tolerance continues to grow

29. Stage 3: Middle Alcoholic
Obvious to family and friends
Misses work or social obligations because of drinking
Body begins to change (weight gain/weight loss, sluggish)
Drink at inappropriate times

30. Stage 4: Late Alcoholic Drinking is an all day affair
Disease caused by drinking usually develops
Attempts to stop may cause tremors and hallucinations
Can still get help!

31. Steps to recover for teens
Seek treatment (recognize, admit)
Learn new habits (people, places, things)
Take it one step at a time (recovery takes time)
Find treatment

32. The 3 C’s
Codependency – may live with alcoholic and center their energy on the alcoholic.
The 3 C’s: you didn’t cause it, you can’t control it, you can’t cure it! Alateen is for teen children of alcoholics, Alanon is for the husbands, wives, family, friends and AA is for the alcoholic him/herself.
How to resist peer pressures to drink alcohol: Have the courage to say No, drink something else, choose friends who don’t use, avoid situations where alcohol is in it, and have fun in other ways!

33. F.A.S.
F.A.S. - Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is caused by less oxygen to the baby. It can cause defects, low birth weight, miscarriages and stillbirths. No amount of alcohol during pregnancy is safe!!
FAS is the leading cause of birth defects and mental retardation in the U.S.
Approximately 40,000 babies are born with F.A.S. each year.

35. The End