Alcohol

Teen girl drinking beer in the kitchen Alcohol is a substance that’s found in drinks like beer, wine, alcopops and spirits (such as whiskey and vodka for example). You might also encounter alcohol in some foods (like chocolate liqueurs) and in household cleaning products among other places. But generally, when people talk about 'alcohol' they mean alcoholic drinks.

What's the appeal of alcohol?

Most people say they drink alcohol because it makes them feel happy and more confident. This is because alcohol is a depressant which slows down your brain and nervous system. This can reduce feelings of anxiety and inhibitions, making you feel more relaxed and sociable.

Other people might drink alcohol to escape from problems. But this may prevent them from taking more positive steps towards solving their issues and in the longer term alcohol abuse itself may become a problem.

How does alcohol affect you?

Lots of people can enjoy having alcoholic drinks in moderation without it causing them any problems. But drinking too much alcohol over a short period of time is known as binge drinking and can have these negative effects:

Drinking too much can give you a hangover and make you feel sick, tired, dehydrated and depressed.
Since alcohol relaxes your inhibitions and makes you feel more confident, it can also make you do things you might regret, like have unprotected sex or display aggressive behaviour.
You can get addicted to alcohol, which means you’d start to rely on it and feel bad without it.
Long-term excessive use of alcohol causes chronic illnesses such as liver damage, stomach cancer and heart disease.
Like any other substance, it is possible to overdose on alcohol which could put you in a coma or even kill you.

How much is too much?

Different alcoholic drinks can have different strengths, and this is measured in units. One unit is approximately the amount of alcohol in half a pint of ordinary strength beer, lager or cider.

If you’re a man, the most you should drink is four units a day.
If you’re a woman, the most you should drink is three units a day.
A single measure of spirits (like whiskey for example) is equal to one unit of alcohol, because spirits contain a much higher amount of alcohol than beer and wine.

If you find someone who appears to be alone and very drunk, and they are finding it difficult to stay alert and awake, do not leave them on their own. Lying them on their side can prevent them from choking if they vomit.

Mixing and tolerance

Mixing alcohol and other drugs such as painkillers can be very harmful, as the combined effects on the body of different substances is unpredictable. For example, taking a depressant type drug along with alcohol (which is also a depressant) can slow down your brain and body functions to dangerous levels.

You might have heard the advice 'don't mix your drinks'. The effect of mixing drinks of different strengths can be unknown. Even when not mixing drinks, the effects of drinking alcohol can vary depending on your tolerance. People who drink a lot may develop more of a tolerance to alcohol. Basically, this means that someone who drinks rarely may experience greater effects from drinking a small amount of alcohol than someone who drinks often.

Is it legal for you to drink alcohol?

Alcohol is a legal substance (as opposed to other drugs which are illegal like cocaine). Just because it's legal though doesn't mean that it has any less real effects on your health than other drugs - it affects your body, mind and also can be addictive like other drugs.

The law has limits on whether or not you can drink or purchase alcohol (and where you can drink it in some cases) related to your age.

Under 5 years old: it is illegal for you to drink alcohol except under medical supervision in an emergency.
5 to 14 years old: you are not allowed into a pub or bar unless it has a children’s certificate and even then, you can only go to set-aside places. You can’t buy alcohol anywhere.
14 and 15 years old: you can go anywhere in a pub, but you can’t buy or drink alcohol anywhere.
16 and 17 years old: you can buy and drink beer or cider with a meal in an eating area of a pub. You can’t buy or drink alcohol anywhere apart from this.
18 and over: you can buy alcohol anywhere.

Did you know?

The police are allowed to confiscate alcohol from under 18 year olds they see drinking in public places.
It is an offence to possess, carry or drink alcohol on trains, coaches and minibuses.
Never drink and drive, as your reactions will be impaired and could end up in an accident.

Links: Alcohol

Here is a link to a site with additional information about alcohol: