 There are two common kinds of alcohol. Ethyl alcohol can be found in beer, wine, liquor and liqueurs. Methyl alcohol, however, is poisonous; it can be found in solvents, paint removers, antifreeze and other household products. Ethyl alcohol, along with caffeine, is the most popular legal drug in North America. Approximately 75% of people over the age of 15 drink alcohol to some extent. Alcohol is a depressant. In small quantities, it lowers social inhibitions; large quantities consumed will dull the senses, making pain and other forms of discomfort less intense. Alcohol's effect on the brain is to interfere with the capacity of its neurons to transmit nerve impulses. Beer, wine or liquor all have the same alcoholic content per serving. In other words, a 340 ml bottle of beer, a five-ounce (140 ml) glass of wine, or a standard shot (1.5 ounces or 42 ml) of spirits such as whiskey or rum all have the same amount of alcohol. Any amount of alcohol consumed will affect coordination and reaction time, making driving a dangerous activity. Alcohol also may make the user more likely to engage in risky behaviour. There is no way to remove alcohol from the bloodstream other than to wait for it to disappear. Levels in the blood of over 0.08 mg per ml of blood are considered to be legal impairment; binge drinking (resulting in levels over 0.30) can cause brain damage or death. When a person has been overcome by alcohol, immediate medical attention is necessary if he or she becomes unconscious or seems to have trouble breathing. Drinking a large amount of alcohol in a short time can suppress the centers of the brain that control breathing and cause a person to pass out, or even die. When people do pass out, alcohol continues to be absorbed by the body. The alcohol in the blood can rise to dangerous levels, and they can die in their sleep. Alcohol and Women: Heavy female drinkers (2-3 drinks per day) often develop liver or heart disease earlier than men, and experience more damage to their brain. Heavy alcohol consumption by women may lead to deterioration of female reproductive health. Alcohol in the body also has disastrous effects on pregnant women; it has been shown that even one alcoholic drink at any time following conception can result in damage to the fetus; regular alcoholic intake during pregnancy often results in the baby having brain development problems or Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. There is still no known safe level of alcohol consumption for pregnant women. Any harm done to the fetus as a result of drinking during pregnancy cannot be reversed. |