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Alcohol
(booze, bevy etc.)
Alcohol is a depressant that can effect people in a huge variety of ways -
some folk are pleasantly relaxed by the drug, others lose their inhibitions
completely while for the less fortunate it can turn them into mumbling,
dribbling bores or crazed psychotic nutters.
It's important to note that even though alcohol is legal, it is still a very
powerful and addictive drug that can have a devastating effect on some people's
lives
Casual drinking and the occasional blow out can be real fun - heck, the urban75
team spend enough time in the pub - but it's important to be aware of the long
term effects and watch out for increasing consumption.
Side effects
Commonly, drinking brings about a reducing of inhibitions, increased relaxation
and sociability and a desire to waffle on and on. Wolfing down more lagers can
lead to a loss of control, blurred/double vision, dizziness, wobbly legs,
sickness and even loss of consciousness. And if all that wasn't bad enough, wait
till the morning when you'll have the King Of Hangovers.
Alcohol slows reaction times, so some activities - like driving, cycling and
operating machinery - can get decidedly dodgy. When you're off your box, your
ability to make rational decisions goes flying out the window too and this can
lead to sexual risk taking (if you're capable - it can also seriously affect
performance in that department!) and the increased chance of catching HIV and
other sexually transmitted diseases.
Alcohol use has been linked to lots of social problems, including domestic
violence and violent crime. The loss of inhibitions can lead to agressive
behaviour. It might also lead to relationship problems - being drunk isn't much
of an excuse if you say something to a friend you regret the next day.
Health effects
Regular use of alcohol can lead to tolerance, so if you're down the pub every
night you'll find yourself having to wolf down more and more beers to get the
same effect. If you're not exercising, expect to have to invest is some larger
size trousers as your waistline expands. More woryingly, but physical dependence
can occur for regular drinkers - lmuch ike heroin addiction - where the user
gets ill without alcohol.
Taking a large dose of alcohol can cause memory loss, so you might not even
remember what you said or why. Long-term use of alcohol is known to cause many
physical illnesses including liver damage, stomach cancer and heart disease.
Alcohol causes the body to lose heat to the environment - the blood vessels
dilate, bringing them closer to the surface of the skin. Alcohol should never be
given to someone to 'warm them up' (it will make them feel warmer, but their
body will actually cool down).
Alcohol will also reduce a persons sensitivity to pain. It's possible to suffer
injuries and not realise until the alcohol wears off - burns, cuts, bruises and
even frostbite might go unnoticed. Alcohol causes dehydration, so taking alcohol
with other drugs that dehydrate (like speed and ecstasy) is potentially very
risky.
A large dose of alcohol will cause overdose leading to loss of consciousness and
possibly even death. For a non-tolerant person (someone not drinking regularly)
about 30 units (a bottle of spirits) would end in a trip to hospital and could
be fatal. If someone is drunk, the only thing that will help them to sober up is
time.
The body breaks down alcohol at the rate of one unit per hour - it's metabolised
by the liver, which only works at one speed. Giving someone black coffee, speed
or a cold shower to sober them up won't make their liver work any faster.
They'll still be drunk - their judgement will be all over the place - but
they'll be wide awake.
Taking alcohol with other drugs that have depressant effects (like heroin,
methadone and some prescribed medicines like temazepam, diazepam or valium and
antihistamines) will increase the potential for overdose. If you are with
someone who has been drinking and loses consciousness, make sure they are in the
recovery position and try to stay with them.
Even if they don't overdose, they could vomit while they are unconscious and
choke - this is how Jimi Hendrix met his maker. Calling for an ambulance will
ensure that they receive medical attention should they need it.
The Health Education Authority (HEA) indicates that 3-4 units a day for a man
and 2-3 units a day for a woman are relatively safe benchmarks for drinking.
People who regularly drink more than this increase the risks of suffering
alcohol-related illnesses.
If you drink, having several alcohol-free days each week will reduce the risk of
harm. The HEA suggests that pregnant women should not drink more than 1-2 units
of alcohol a week. One unit = half a pint of beer, lager or cider, one glass of
wine or one 25 ml measure of spirits. Many of the alcoholic colas, lemonades and
other fizzy drinks available contain as much alcohol by volume as beer or cider.
Legal Status.
The use of Alcohol in this country is legal. There are aspects of alcohol use
(such as drinking alcohol before driving and public order offences involving
alcohol) which are controlled by law, but generally the legal controls focus on
the sale of alcohol to others. It is not against the law to produce alcohol in
the form of beer or wine, but distillation is illegal.
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