ALCOHOL

GUIDED NOTES

ALCOHOL

• ETHYL ALCOHOL

–Used also in antifreeze!

–Alcohol is the most abused drug in the world!

CATEGORIES OF ALCOHOL

• BEER 3-5% ALCOHOL

• WINE 10-15% ALCOHOL

• HARD LIQUOR 25-80% ALCOHOL

BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVEL

• One’s BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVEL, B.A.L. (or CONCENTRATION)B.A.C. tells how much alcohol is in one’s bloodstream.

• The legal B.A.C. in Ohio is .08

AMOUNT OF ALCOHOL IN ONE’S BLOODSTREAM

• A 12 oz. bottle of beer =

• A 6 oz. glass of wine =

• A 1 oz. shot of liquor

THINGS THAT DETERMINE WHAT YOUR B.A.L. IS…

• How much you drink• How fast you drink• How much you weigh• Is there food in your

stomach?• Your age and gender• Your drinking history

TOLERANCE

• Needing more of the substance to get the same effect

• Example: If an alcoholic wanted to get drunk, he would have to drink many more beers than a person who didn’t drink very often.

SOBERING THOUGHTS…

• ALCOHOL IS ADDICTIVE

• ONLY TIME WILL CAUSE A PERSON TO BE SOBER

• THE LIVER CAN DETOXIFY 1/2 OZ-1 OZ OF ALCOHOL PER HOUR.

EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL

Your body is affected by alcohol in the following

ways:

ESOPHAGUS

• Heavy use of alcohol increases the risk of cancer of the mouth and esophagus

STOMACH

• Alcohol has no food value

• Alcohol irritates the stomach lining

• Heavy alcohol use can cause ulcers

SMALL INTESTINES AND BLOOD

• SMALL INTESTINES:

• Most of the alcohol is absorbed into the bloodstream from the small intestine.

• BLOOD:

• Within minutes of ingesting the alcohol, it is everywhere in the body that blood goes!

BRAIN

• The brain is bathed in alcohol almost immediately.

• It is the organ most sensitive to alcohol.

• It affects judgment and reasoning, learning, behavior, coordination and vision

LIVER

• Chemical factory of the body

• Oxidation: 1/2 oz to 1 oz of alcohol per hour

• Oxidation: breaks down the alcohol to CO2 and water

• Excessive use of alcohol may cause cirrhosis ( a deadly liver disease)