Alcohol
Alcohol and the Law
It is legal to use alcohol but under current UK law:
- it is illegal for anyone under the age of 18 to buy alcohol;
- it is illegal to supply someone under the age of 18 with alcohol;
- it is an offence to give alcohol to a child under the age of five; and
- 16 year olds can buy and drink beer or cider (but not spirits) in a pub if they are having a meal.
What is alcohol?
Alcohol is a depressant that slows down the nervous system and is extremely powerful and addictive. Ethanol is alcohol in its purest form and is contained in all alcoholic drinks to some degree. Alcohol consumption is measured in units and the strength of alcohol uses the term ABV which describes the alcohol by volume, or what percentage of total liquid is alcohol.
What are the effects?
Once drunk, alcohol is absorbed into the blood stream and starts to have an effect after 5-10 minutes. It acts primarily on the nerve cells in the brain and in small amounts it can help you to relax, become more talkative and lose your inhibitions. The effects can last for several hours depending upon the amount consumed. If you drink large amounts of alcohol your speech may become slurred. You can also become loud and over-bearing and emotional reactions can become exaggerated ranging from happy to aggressive.
Alcohol is a painkiller and can suppress uncomfortable feelings and promote a feeling of well-being and confidence. Stronger drinks like spirits and fizzy drinks like champagne and alcopops are absorbed more quickly into the bloodstream and increase drunken symptoms.
The effects of alcohol also depend upon:
- how quickly you drink it;
- whether you have lined your stomach with food;
- your body weight;
- your tolerance; and
- your emotional state before drinking.
What are the risks?
If you drink very heavily you risk passing out, vomiting or both which can be very dangerous. Alcohol can cause depression, anxiety, increased feelings of anger and even suicidal tendencies. It can lead to loss of control, memory loss and can cause:
- alcohol poisoning;
- liver damage;
- stomach and pancreas disorders;
- brain damage;
- high blood pressure;
- heart disease; and
- can increase the risk of some forms of cancer.
Regular use of alcohol can lead to tolerance, meaning you need to drink more and more to recreate the effect. It is linked to social problems such as domestic violence and violent crimes. Relationships can also suffer and if your drinking increases you can suffer from withdrawal symptoms such as sweating, trembling, delirium and anxiety.
Women who drink increase their risk of developing breast cancer and if they drink alcohol during pregnancy it can lead to birth defects. It is also the leading cause of mental retardation.
Men who drink too much can suffer from lowered testosterone levels, lowered sex drive, impotence and low sperm count.
Binge drinking (classified as drinking more than six units in six hours) can cause blood pressure to rise and increase the risk of suffering a stroke. Drinking too much alcohol lowers inhibitions - under the influence you can end up in sexual situations you would never contemplate if you were sober.
In combination with other drugs such as heroin, tranquillisers and barbiturates alcohol can be extremely dangerous as it can lead to a fatal overdose. It is also extremely dehydrating and so combining it with drugs such as ecstasy can have serious consequences.
