Monisha Adams
Mr. Stewart
Global Leadership English 12
2 April 2014
Research
“I am more afraid of alcohol than of all the bullets of the enemy”(Jackson 1). Even
Stonewall Jackson could see the dangers of liquor from the start.Alcohol in the dictionary is
defined as, “A colorless volatile flammable liquid that is the intoxicating constituent of wine,
beer, spirits, and other drinks, and is also used as an industrial solvent and as fuel” (Oxford 1).To
some people it’s defined as a way to escape the world’s trials and tribulations and to party. To
many it’s defined as home wrecking and life ending. Alcohol has been around for centuries and
still popular way to spend the evening with friends or colleagues. Alcohol however is not indeed
a way to have fun but simply to ruin someone’s life. Whenever Alcohol is discussed or brought
into a conversation it usually ends up being the topic of drunk driving or death. Even teenagers
participate in the consumption of alcohol. Then there’s the question of should the legal age of
buying alcohol change from 21 to 18. No it should not because of the critical problems
associated with it.Alcohol is a dangerous menace to society which causes negative repercussions.
Alcohol like many things in life has its own history. To make alcohol, grains, fruits or
vegetables needto go through a process called fermentation (when yeast or bacteria react with the
sugars in food - the by-products are ethanol and carbon dioxide). Alcoholic beverages existed
sometime in the early Egyptian civilization. Since then alcohol has one of the most popular
drinks in the era. Alcohol in the 1800s was very common currency and everyone drank the
substances. On average people drank 5 shots a day. Sir Fredrick Treves claimed alcohol is a
poison which weakens instead of strengthens. By 1920s people had enough of the problems
drinking caused and banned it starting prohibition. Unfortunately bootlegging liquor became
popular and more people were in the hospital for alcohol related illness and death became
common. But, many gave up drinking and the drinking of alcohol dropped by a third. Soon
prohibition was repealed by 1933. Although the drinking has stopped over time the drinks
themselves have become more deadly. The danger faced now is drinking and driving. “Over 1.2
million drivers were arrested for a DUI, driving under the influence, of either alcohol and/or
narcotics in 2011“(Pg 1). Drinking it self has many effects.
Alcohol has a profound effect on the brain. People who drink large amounts run a risk of
developing serious changes in the brain. “Long term heavy drinking may lead to shrinking of the
brain and deficiencies in the fibers(white matter) that carry information between brain cells(gray
matter)”(pg 3). Studies show that memory and attention improve without the use of alcohol. A
effect of alcohol is a disease known as the Wernicke-Korsaoff syndrome sometimes called “wet
brain”. The symptoms include mental confusion, paralysis of the nerves that move the eyes, and
difficulty with muscle coordination. Eighty to ninety percent of alcoholics with this disease
develop Korsakoff’s psychosis, a chronic and debilitating syndrome characterized by persistent
learning and memory problems. Through study,” women are more vulnerable than men to many
of the medical consequences of alcohol use” (Pg 2). Women develop cirrhosis, a damage to the
heart muscle, and serve nerve damage after fewer years of drinking than alcoholic men. Both
men and women show significantly greater brain shrinkage. There are a number of factors that
influence how much alcohol will affect the brain such as, how often a person drinks, the age he
or she first began, and his or her general health status. Large amounts of alcohol consumed
quickly and on a empty stomach can produce blackouts and are common with social drinkers.
Alcohol effects more than just the brain.
Alcohol in general has an effect on the overall health is bad. In the US in 2012 60% of
both male and female have attributed liver cirrhosis. A estimated 3.3 million people die of
alcohol each year. The dopamine in alcohol cause people to be addicted to it and the human
endorphin system with the help of alcohol creates a “high” feeling by the endorphins. Alcohol
sometimes used to help people fall asleep have the effect of waking in the middle of the night
“Large amounts of alcohol can lead to hangovers, over sleeping, or even alcohol withdrawal
syndrome if continued over long periods of time”(Pg 1). Alcohol can also dehydrate the skin and
heavy drinking can cause permanent and detrimental on the skin. Facial reddness in the skin
shows early signs of alcohol abuse.Alcohol also increases the risk of skin cancer and can cause
dramatic changes in the mouth such as beefy red smooth tongue associated with Vitamin B
deficiency and black hairy tongue associated with overgrowth of bacteria. Alcohol can give rise
to allergic or allergy-like symptoms. People may develop low blood pressure, diarrhea, shortness
of breath and low heart rate associated with urticaria or known as hives.Even tiny amounts of
alcohol may induce urticaria in people who have had a severe reaction previously, although
allergy testing is often negative. Long term drinking can lead to heart disease and risks high
blood pressure."Heavy drinking weakens the heart muscle, which means the heart can’t pump
blood as efficiently. It’s known as cardiomyopathy and can cause premature death, usually
through heart failure”(pg 2). The drinking of alcohol also decreases sex drive and in females
makes it hard to conceive a baby."Drinking can also cause feminine breast development in men
and shrinking testicles”(Pg 1). And its also has another side to than just a persons physical
health.
Alcohol has a effect on the behavior of people.When someone is drunk it impairs them
which also makes them unsafe for instance drinking and driving. On April 20 2014 a California
teenage girl only 16 years old was killed by a drunk driver while she was sleep in her bedroom.
The mans behavior was obviously triggered by alcohol. Alcohol may vary from person to person
but its effects are noticeable. Someone who is calm can change easily become enraged or upset
and vise versa. It can also be associated with violent tendencies."Some research indicates that a
large quantity of alcohol, or any quantity for alcoholics, can increase the user’s sense of personal
power and domination over others” (Pg 1). Alcohol often is the excuse for abuser to to gain
control over spouse or family members. Alcohol reduces self control making it hard for non
violent solutions in relationships. Excessive drinking often shows signs of trouble in the
household such as financial difficulty, childcare problems, or marital tension, this only fuels the
the risk of violence in the home. Individuals who do drink sometimes experience or are
experiencing depression. “ Alcohol is a depressant, which means it can disrupt that balance,
affecting our thoughts, feelings and actions – and sometimes our long-term mental health”(Pg
2).For many, a drink can help some feel more confident and less anxious. That’s because it’s
starting to depress the part of the brain associated with inhibition. But, as the individual drinks
more, more of the brain starts to be affected. “It doesn’t matter what mood you’re in to start with,
when high levels of alcohol are involved, instead of pleasurable effects increasing, it’s possible
that a negative emotional response will take over”(Pg 2). Heavy and regular drinkers develop
symptoms of depression and likely to actually get depression or anxiety. It affects relationships
and performance at work. some of the warning signs that alcohol is affecting the persons mood is
disturbed sleep, lethargic and tried all the time,low mood and feeling anxiety in situations the
person normally feels comfortable. “Alcohol can make people lose their inhibitions and behave
impulsively, so it can lead to actions they might not otherwise have taken – including self-harm
and suicide” (Pg 3).Extreme levels of drinking can occasionally cause ‘psychosis’. It’s a severe
mental illness where hallucinations and delusions of persecution develop."Psychotic symptoms
can also occur when very heavy drinkers suddenly stop drinking and develop a condition known
as ‘delirium tremens’ – symptoms include body tremors and confusion”(Pg 3). Alcohol also has
affects on people sexually. Since drunks lack the ability to make good or safe decisions they also
lack the use of protection. “25 percent of American women have experienced sexual assault,
including rape. Approximately one-half of those cases involve alcohol consumption by the
perpetrator, victim, or both” (Pg 1). alcohol-involved sexual assaults tend to occur at parties or in
bars.By reducing inhibitions, alcohol often makes it more likely that someone will choose to
sexually assault another person.Alcohol seems to be a constant reminder of its deadly effects.
Given the collected research gathered it is obvious alcohol should stay at the legal age of
21. It’s history’s tells of nothing but problems for the U.S and the world all over. It’s history in
the U.S concerning prohibition in the era caused many things including deadly bootleg liquor
and crime to sell the liquor. Its effect on the brain causing damage to brain cells and the disease
wet brain or Wernicke-Korsaoff syndrome. Alcohol also shows it bad for peoples overall health
because it seems to effect a lot of organs and the systems inside us. It causes lewd and dangerous
behavior making a person mad, upset, depressed, or even suicidal. For some it feels impossible
to quit drinking but there is a way. There are center for alcoholics who need help fighting their
addiction. Alcohol itself is not that bad as long as the person is responsible and drinks in
moderation. Because of these problems and the struggles people go through alcohol not just
fighting the addiction but fight their conscious on some of things they might have done wrong. In
conclusion the legal age should stay 21 and not be lowered to 18.
Work cited
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