Alcohol
If you have additional concerns about drugs, you can refer to the links page for various agencies that assist youth with drug-related issues or you can contact your School Resource Officer or call 403-206-8399. In the Province of Alberta, it is unlawful for any individuals under the age of 18 to handle, purchase, or consume alcohol.If you have additional concerns about drugs, you can refer to the links page for various agencies that assist youth with drug-related issues or you can contact your School Resource Officer or call 403-206-8399.
What is alcohol?
Many don't consider alcohol a drug, but it is. Alcohol is a sedative/hypnotic because it depresses the central nervous system (the workings of the spine and brain). Alcohol is also thought to be a stimulant by some because it lowers inhibitions, making you feel relaxed and more prone to taking chances you wouldn't otherwise take.There are two kinds of alcohol:
- Ethyl alcohol is the kind present in beer, wine, spirits and liqueurs.
- Methyl alcohol is completely different and is found in solvents, paint removers, antifreeze and other household and industrial products. It is a poison and should never be drunk!
What can I expect if I drink?
- A sense of well-being is often the first effect brought on by drinking alcohol - often accompanied by drowsiness, dizziness and flushing. Never drink and drive! (takes you to the Interpretive Centre)
- Despite the fact that you may still be within the legal limit of 0.08% blood alcohol your coordination has been affected after only one or two drinks and it is unwise to operate machinery or drive a motorized vehicle.
- 1 bottle of beer = 5 ounces of wine = 1.5 ounces of liquor
- Drinking additional alcohol will begin to affect your speech, balance, and vision.
- Hostility or deep depression can result.
- Alcohol is not safe to use when you're taking drugs - prescription or otherwise. Even a small amount of alcohol can change the effect of another drug.
- When a person drinks too much, they often wake up with a hangover. A hangover is an after effect that can occur about eight to 12 hours after you stop drinking. A headache, accompanied by shakiness and nausea, and short-term memory loss are all common side effects after a bout of drinking.
What can happen down the road?
Drinking heavily over a long period of time can lead to serious health problems, including stomach ulcers, sexual problems, liver disease, and brain damage. Having more than 12 drinks per week or more than three drinks on any single day puts you at greater risk for these health problems. Drinking more than these amounts will likely affect family and other relationships, careers and social life. Excessive drinking often leads to financial and legal problems.Experts highly recommend abstaining from drinking while pregnant! Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) leads to birth defects, brain damage or pregnancy complications. FAS is caused by the mother drinking while pregnant.
How addictive is it?
Tolerance is the body adapting to the presence of a drug. When tolerance to a drug increases, more of the drug is necessary to achieve the same effect.Regular users of alcohol may not appear to be drunk, but that doesn't mean it's safe for them to drive a car or to do other tasks. If you abruptly stop using alcohol after a long period of abuse, you may suffer from jumpiness, insomnia, sweating, and poor appetite. More severe withdrawal symptoms can include tremors, convulsions, confusion, and hallucinations. These symptoms are commonly called delirium tremens or DTs.
For more information about alcohol, visit the AADAC Web site.
Updated: Wednesday, July 8, 2009 1:40 PM