 Alcohol is a drug that depresses the brain and
nervous system.
 About 20% of the alcohol a person drinks is
absorbed into the bloodstream through the walls of
the stomach.
 A majority of the rest is absorbed through the walls
of the intestine.
 After it is absorbed, it moves quickly into the
bloodstream.
 Remaining alcohol is excreted through urine,
perspiration or breath.
 Most alcohol is changed to harmless waste by the liver.
 The liver can process about one drink per hour.
 If a person has more than one drink, the excess alcohol
builds up in the body.
 This excess alcohol goes into the body tissues before being
excreted.
 The effects of alcohol increase as the concentration of
alcohol in the blood increases.
 The amount of alcohol in a person’s blood is the Blood
Alcohol Concentration (BAC). The higher the BAC, the
greater the effects of alcohol on the body.
» An alcoholic beverage that contains ½ ounce of alcohol is
considered one drink.
» ½ ounce is equal to one beer, 4 to 5 oz. of wine, or one mixed
drink.
» Drinking more than this amount will cause the BAC to rise.
Getting “Drunk”
» Alcohol is a toxin (poison). If too large an amount is consumed,
the body’s natural reaction is to reject it, causing a person to
vomit.
» The body will work to break down and excrete the alcohol in the
body as quickly as possible.
» Because this process takes time, people may still feel the effects
the next day.
» There is no way to speed up this process – drinking coffee, taking
a cold shower, etc. will not break down the alcohol in the body.
 Amount of Alcohol consumed
 Speed at which alcohol is consumed
 Body weight
 Percentage of Body Fat (more body fat = higher BAC)
 Gender
 Feelings (stress, anger, fear speed up the time alcohol is absorbed)
 Amount of Food eaten
 Presence of other drugs in the bloodstream
 Age
 Drinking carbonated beverages

0.02 — 0.03 BAC: No loss of coordination, slight euphoria and loss of shyness.
Depressant effects are not apparent. Mildly relaxed and maybe a little lightheaded.
0.04 — 0.06 BAC: Feeling of well-being, relaxation, lower inhibitions, sensation of
warmth. Euphoria. Some minor impairment of reasoning and memory, lowering of
caution. Your behavior may become exaggerated and emotions intensified (Good
emotions are better, bad emotions are worse)
0.07 — 0.09 BAC: Slight impairment of balance, speech, vision, reaction time, and
hearing. Euphoria. Judgment and self-control are reduced, and caution, reason
and memory are impaired (in some* states .08 is legally impaired and it is illegal to
drive at this level). You will probably believe that you are functioning better than
you really are. ( * —As of July, 2004 ALL states had passed .08 BAC Per Se Laws.
The final one takes effect in August of 2005.)
0.10 — 0.125 BAC: impairment of motor coordination and loss of good judgment.
Speech may be slurred; balance, vision, reaction time and hearing will be
impaired. Euphoria. It is illegal to operate a motor vehicle at this level of
intoxication in all states.
0.13 — 0.15 BAC: Gross motor impairment and lack of physical control. Blurred
vision and major loss of balance. Euphoria is reduced and dysphoria* is beginning
to appear. Judgment and perception are severely impaired.
( * —Dysphoria: An emotional state of anxiety, depression, or unease.)
 0.16 — 0.19 BAC: Dysphoria predominates, nausea may appear. The drinker has the
appearance of a "sloppy drunk."
0.20 BAC: Feeling dazed/confused or otherwise disoriented. May need help to
stand/walk. If you injure yourself you may not feel the pain. Some people have
nausea and vomiting at this level. The gag reflex is impaired and you can choke if you
do vomit. Blackouts are likely at this level so you may not remember what has
happened.
0.25 BAC: All mental, physical and sensory functions are severely impaired. Increased
risk of asphyxiation from choking on vomit and of seriously injuring yourself by falls or
other accidents.
0.30 BAC: STUPOR. You have little comprehension of where you are. You may pass
out suddenly and be difficult to awaken.
0.35 BAC: Coma is possible. This is the level of surgical anesthesia.
0.40 BAC and up: Onset of coma, and possible death due to respiratory arrest.
 Alcohol is readily available to youth
 Being drunk is an expectation in most adolescent drinking
situations
 Peer group influence is strongly evident
 Young drinkers tend to obtain alcohol from their parents
 Young drinkers tend to consume the alcohol at home
 Students who drink alcohol regularly are more likely to have
someone close to them who also drinks alcohol
 Students tend to regard drinking as a legitimate pastime; they
tend to regard drinking as an essential aspect of leisure and
entertainment.
 Students lack knowledge about alcohol
 Students do not know how to monitor their
intake to prevent intoxication
 Students lack knowledge of the properties and
effects of alcohol.
 Students lack knowledge as to how alcohol is
metabolized
 Alcohol is often readily available at most social
functions
Prevalence of Underage Alcohol Use:
˃ Prevalence of Drinking: 2 out of 5 15-year-olds report that they have had at
least 1 drink in their lives.15 In 2012, about 9.3 million people ages 12–20
(24.3 percent of this age group) reported drinking alcohol in the past
month (24.7 percent of males and 24 percent of females).16
˃ Prevalence of Binge Drinking: Approximately 5.9 million people (about 15
percent) ages 12–20 were binge drinkers (16.5 percent of males and 14
percent of females).16
˃ Prevalence of Heavy Drinking: Approximately 1.7 million people (about 4.3
percent) ages 12–20 were heavy drinkers (5.2 percent of males and 3.4
percent of females).16
» Consequences of Underage Alcohol Use:
˃ Research indicates that alcohol use during the teenage years could interfere
with normal adolescent brain development and increase the risk of
developing an AUD. In addition, underage drinking contributes to a range of
acute consequences, including injuries, sexual assaults, and even deaths.17
» Prevalence of Alcohol Use:
˃ Prevalence of Drinking: In 2012, 60.3 percent of college students
ages 18–22 drank alcohol in the past month compared with 51.9
percent of same-age peers not in college.18
˃ Prevalence of Binge Drinking: 40.1 percent of college students ages
18–22 engaged in binge drinking (5 or more drinks on an occasion)
in the past month compared with 35 percent of same-age peers not
in college.19
˃ Prevalence of Heavy Drinking: 14.4 percent of college students
ages 18–22 engaged in heavy drinking (5 or more drinks on an
occasion on 5 or more occasions per month) in the past month
compared with 10.7 percent of same-age peers not in college.20
» Consequences—Researchers estimate that each year:
˃ 1,825 college students between the ages of 18 and 24 die from
alcohol-related unintentional injuries, including motor-vehicle
crashes.21
˃ 696,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 are assaulted by
another student who has been drinking.21
˃ 97,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 report
experiencing alcohol-related sexual assault or date rape.21
˃ Roughly 20 percent of college students meet the criteria for an
AUD.22
˃ About 1 in 4 college students report academic consequences from
drinking, including missing class, falling behind in class, doing
poorly on exams or papers, and receiving lower grades overall.23