INFORMATION ON Alcohol AND OTHER SUBSTANCES

KNOW THE FACTS

All Alcohol is not the same:

12-ounce beer = 5-ounce glass of wine = 1 ½ ounce shot of 80% proof liquor

Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant. Despite the fact that most experience a euphoria initially from alcohol, it does act to depress certain body functions that are controlled by the central nervous system (heart rate, respiration, blood pressure), and this is where the danger lies.

Physical effects of alcohol can include:

• impaired behavior
• loss of inhibitions
• impaired judgment
• poor memory
• impaired concentration
• coordination problems: staggering, slurred speech
• extreme mood swings and emotional outbursts
• double vision
• impaired sexual functioning

The impact of alcohol effects are different for different people, and can be different for the same person at different times.

Several factors influence the effects of alcohol:

• amount consumed,
• the rate of consumption,
• presence or absence of ingested food
• mood state,
• gender (women metabolize alcohol at different rates than men),
• weight,
• previous experience with alcohol

Patterns of drinking are:

• social
• binge
• problem
• alcoholic

Binge pattern of drinking is the most common on campuses. This pattern of drinking is harmful because of the potential for alcohol poisoning due to the rate of consumption. Binge drinking is defined as "drinking 5 or more drinks for men and 4 drinks for women in about 2 hours" (NIAAA National Advisory Council, 2004).