Alcohol

Alcohol is the most commonly abused drug in American society. It acts as a depressant on the central nervous system, affecting the areas of the brain that control speech, intellectual function, mood and emotion, and muscular coordination. Small quantities cause feeling of well-being and relaxation. Larger quantities, however, can cause intoxication, sedation, unconsciousness, and even death with very large doses.

Alcohol has a number of side effects, even in low to moderate levels. It reduces sensitivity to pain, taste, and odor; it impairs vision, decreases attention and memory, interferes with REM sleep, and reduces sexual performance (although the drinker may feel less inhibited or anxious in sexual situations). Long term physical effects include: damage to vital organs (such as liver, heart, pancreas and brain), cancer, gastrointestinal irritation, malnutrition, sexual dysfunction, high blood pressure, and lowered resistance to disease.

In addition to the direct physical effects, many serious indirect dangers - often worse than the direct physical effects -- result from use of alcohol. Alcohol is a factor in about 40% of the fatal automobile accidents in the U.S. every year. It also contributes to risky sexual behavior (including chance of getting AIDS or other sexually transmitted diseases) by interfering with the drinker's judgment, loosening inhibitions, and reducing ability to communicate clearly. For pregnant women, alcohol can severely damage the unborn fetus, resulting in stillbirth, premature birth, miscarriage, or children with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. (Currently, no safe level of alcohol consumption for pregnant women has been determined.) Alcohol also plays a major role in many types of violent crime. One congressional report states that alcohol is a major factor in 68% of manslaughters, 62% of assaults, 54% of murders and attempted murders, 48% or robberies, and 44% of burglaries.

Alcohol is addictive, although the rate at which people become addicted can vary greatly. Some people lose control over their drinking very soon after getting started. Others become dependent only gradually - sometimes so gradually that they don't realize it's happening. The factors that cause addiction are not completely understood. Addiction seems to occur more quickly, however, among certain groups of people, including young people and women.

Adapted from: "Alcohol," in Mind-altering drugs: A guide to the history, uses and effects of psychocative drugs (2nd ed.). Madison, WI: Wisconsin Clearinghouse for Prevention Resources, 1998.

Additional Risks of Alcohol Use for Teens:

In addition to the physical effects presented above, alcohol poses several further risks for teenage drinkers:

Alcoholism can develop much more rapidly in teens than adults; possibly within a matter of months. Approximately 40% of children who start drinking before age 15 will become alcoholics at some point in their lives.
Teenagers are still developing physically. The developing body is much more sensitive to the effects of drugs, and may be negatively affected by alcohol. In 1998, more 18-year-olds died in low blood alcohol related car crashes than individuals of any other age.
Teenagers are still developing emotionally. Use of alcohol may prevent teens from learning how to handle emotions and life situations without turning to drugs. Among 12-17 year olds who drink, 31% have exhibited extreme levels of psychological distress, and 39% have exhibited serious behavior problems.
Teenagers often drink to get drunk. Many teens do not drink "socially," but aim to get drunk. Getting drunk increases many dangers associated with alcohol consumption, such as risks of automobile accidents and unsafe sex. Notably, half the girls who have sexual intercourse by age 16 are intoxicated at the time, and half later regret their action. In addition, one survey of high school students found that 18% of females and 39% of males said it is acceptable for a boy to force a girl to have sex if the girl is stoned or drunk.
There is no known "safe" level of alcohol for young people. The U.S. dietary guidelines state that children and adolescents should avoid alcohol completely.

Adapted from:

McFarland Partners in Prevention, "It takes a whole community to raise a child." [Brochure].

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2001). Underage drinking prevention: Action guide and planner (DHHS Publication No. [SMA] 3259).

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Last Updated: Jan. 31, 2004
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