Alcohol
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Pharmacology
Alcohol is a liquid that is combustible, flammable and clear. This is obtained through fermentation of starches and sugars from plants. Alcohol is also referred to as ethanol, ethyl alcohol, grain alcohol and fermentation alcohol. It is used wholly or debased as a solvent in pharmaceutical drugs, explosives, rocket fuel and intoxicating beverages. As an intoxicating beverage alcohol is categorized as a depressant. However, as a drug alcohol has a dual effect on the user2. Primarily alcohol acts as a depressant that lasts for a short time, and then a faint battle occurs with the central nervous system that lasts about six times longer then the depressant effect2. Depending on the social environment of the user the experience may be much different. Thus in a quiet atmosphere a user may experience feelings of sleepiness or drowsiness that a caused by the drug and seen as depression of the central nervous system2. In a social setting alcohol may be perceived as a stimulant due to the release of inhibition from certain areas of the brain cortex.2 The effects can be an individuals becoming loud, chatty, over confident, uncontrollable and incoherent.2
After oral absorption several variables determine the extremity of an individual�s level of intoxication. The type of alcohol, concentration and carbonation all are directly correlated with the absorption rate of alcohol.3 Another variable is rate of intake, meaning the faster you consume the alcohol the faster your body absorbs the alcohol.3 Food also has a substantial role in alcohols absorption rate because of its ability to slow down the process especially in foods with high fat content.
Origins
Street Names
Typical Use
Effects
Difficult walking, slurred speech, blurred vision, slow reaction time, impaired memory are some of the alcohols affect on the brain. Some of these effects can be distinguished after one or two drinks, and they are quickly resolved when a person stop drinking. For a person who drinks heavy over a long period of time may suffer from brain damages after he or she achieves sobriety. Heavy drinking may result in blackouts and �slip� in memory to permanent and debilitating conditions that require lifetime custodial care. Even moderate drinking can lead to short term impairment of the brain. Factors that influence how and to what extent alcohol effects the brain: - How much and often a person drinks - The person�s age, gender, genetic background, level of education and family history of alcoholism - The age at which the person first begin drinking and how long he/she has been drinking - His/hers general health status
The liver is the organ in the body that breaks down the alcohol into harmless byproducts and clearing it from the body. By a large alcoholic consumption you hurt the liver, which can lead to liver failure.4
Benefits
Red wine benefits
Red wine contains an important nutrient that many people don�t consume enough of in their everyday diets. This nutrient is known as omega 3 fatty acid. �Recent studies proved that the omega 3 acid that is commonly found in wine has a positive impact on helping fight coronary heart disease (Basu 2006).� Omega 3 is most commonly consumed through fish. Wine obtains the acid through the extracted skin off the grapes, which also is known to help break up blood clots within the body.
Beer benefits
�Beer along with wine may be associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes among women aged 25 to 42 years (Wannamethee 2003).� Most people have herd that wine is helpful against diseases but few are used to the idea that the consumption of beer could also be beneficial to you. There are B-vitamins are obtained from the yeast that is used to ferment the beer. Again beer should be consumed in moderation to obtain its positive benefits without getting any of the negative side effects such as a hangover or in a severe prolonged episode of drinking, damage to the liver.
Benefits to the Elderly
�It remains possible that low levels of alcohol consumption have neuro-protective benefits (Anstey 2006).� These benefits protect the elderly from damaging brain defects that are sometimes associated with old age, such as dementia and brain atrophy. A drink to healthy aging did a test on women 70 and older and the effect that alcohol had on them. �Being a nondrinker was associated with greater risk of death and poorer health related quality of life (Byles 2006).� There test results came to this conclusion because the women who took these tests that were non-drinkers, had lower scores on the health related test and they also demonstrated that moderate drinking helps with mental stability because the women also scored lower on the mental health tests.
Drink in moderation
Drinking in moderation consist of consuming 2 alcoholic beverages per day for men and 1 drink for women. One drink consists of 12 oz. of beer, 5 oz. of wine, or 1.5 oz of 80-proof distilled spirits (hard liquor) (Anonymous 2005). Through research hard liquor has been found to have no known benefits as to date, but on the other hand both wine and beer have health benefits. Tufts University states that, �It is much better to consume (a moderate amount) 2 drinks for men and one for women daily, than to save it up for the weekend and drink all seven drinks on Friday night (Anonymous 2005).� While drinking contributes to many bad decisions and many problems that exist in our nation, when consumed in a proper manner can definitely be beneficial to the individual. Alcohol should only be consumed by a healthy individual that isn�t pregnant and they should consult a physician before they decide to drink.
Works Cited
- Moderate Drinking Reduces Diabetes risk. BY: Tufts University health and nutrition letter. May 2005 http://proquest.umi.com.libproxy.sdsu.edu/pqdweb?index=6&did=830101931&SrchMode=5&Fmt=3&retrieveGroup=0&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1196127331&clientId=17862 -
Weekly alcohol consumption, brain atrophy, and white matter hyperintensities in a community-based sample aged 60 to 64 years. By: Kaarin J Anstey, psychosomatic Medicine. Sept/Oct 2006 http://proquest.umi.com.libproxy.sdsu.edu/pqdweb?index=4&did=1159103621&SrchMode=5&Fmt=2&retrieveGroup=0&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1196127331&clientId=17862 -
A drink to healthy aging: The association between older women�s useof alcohol and their health-related quality of life. By: Julie Byles, PhD. Journal of the American geriatrics Society. Sept 2006 http://proquest.umi.com.libproxy.sdsu.edu/pqdweb?index=3&did=1122870521&SrchMode=5&Fmt=2&retrieveGroup=0&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1196127331&clientId=17862 -
Coronary heart disease: How do the benefits of omega 3 fatty acids compare with those of aspirin, alcohol/red wine, and statin drugs. Hemendra Basu. Jacocs, journal of the American oil chemists society. Dec 2006 http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=2&did=1194336251&SrchMode=1&sid=2&Fmt=3&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1196144050&clientId=17862 -
Alcohol drinking patterns and risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus among younger women. S Goya Wannamethee. Archives of internal medicine. June 9, 2003. http://proquest.umi.com.libproxy.sdsu.edu/pqdweb?index=0&did=353642011&SrchMode=5&Fmt=2&retrieveGroup=0&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1196200031&clientId=17862
Harm
Harm
Physically alcohol consumption affects every organ in the body of a human being in some way shape or form1. Every system in the human body including: digestive, endocrine, reproductive, cardiovascular, immune, muscular-skeletal, repertory and nervous are all susceptible to the consequences of alcohol1. Consumption of alcohol over long periods of time has been shown to damage heart tissue1. Other harmful long term physical effects of alcohol consumption include high blood pressure, abnormal heart function, irreversible cellular damage, liver damage, brain damage, cancer of the tongue, mouth, or pharynx, hypo pharynx, esophagus, liver and a heightened chance of contracting a clotting diseases.
Short term effects of alcohol consumption include dehydration, malnutrition, and loss of motor skills, slurred speech and loss of inhibitions to name a few. Basically the ability to think, walk and speak can all be impaired if an individual over drinks alcohol. The ability to see clearly is also jeopardized when drinking to much alcohol often resulting in double vision and the inability to keep eyelids open. This is especially harmful for anyone trying to operate a vehicle or any type of machinery because they often �pass out� while driving or do not see things as they are. Following intoxication, hangovers may be experienced.
Another harmful side effect of alcohol is becoming dependent on the drug. Extreme alcoholics often show physical symptoms such as shakiness, hyperventilation, hallucinations, convulsions and can die if they are deprived of alcohol without medical attention present.2 These withdrawal symptoms vary in degree depending on the longevity of the dependency, and the degree of intoxication.2 Unlike other drugs alcohol is unique because the body can use the calories as a source of energy.2 However since virtually no nutrients are present and alcohol suppresses appetite, dependency leads too many of these diseases.
Problems
The patterns of drinking characterizes not only by the frequency of drinking and the quantity per occasion, but also by the variations between one occasion and another, which represent the manner in which a drinker consumes a certain volume of alcohol within a given time frame. The volume and the pattern by which alcohol is consumed can lead to different types of problems.5
Adolescent Perspectives
Adolescence is the time in which a child grows into an adult. During the teenage years, the human body is still developing to reach its adult form. When teenagers choose to drink during adolescence and the development of the body, the alcohol can cause negative effects. Along with damaging the growth of the body, alcohol can lead to many other problems for those who are not of legal drinking age. When teenagers decide to drink heavily all inhibition is lost once they become drunk. This allows major problems to occur, which include drinking and driving, rape or unprotected sex, and suicide. Each of these difficulties can be avoided, but the effects of alcohol will make it harder to remain safe from each of these factors.
During adolescence, the brain is still developing and alcohol directly stifles brain activity. Still developing in teenagers, the frontal lobes of the brain are responsible for memory, motor skills and many other important functions. Drinking while the brain continues development can cause learning impairments and brain damage.1 In one study, the memory of alcohol-dependent and nondependent teens were tested by giving them words and designs to remember and after 10 minutes, each teen was tested. The alcohol-dependent teens had greater difficulty remembering the test material.2
Teenagers who choose to get behind the wheel of a car after drinking need to realize the major problems involved with doing so. Nobody who is under the legal age for drinking should drink, but more importantly, nobody should be driving under the influence. Considering that teens are generally less experienced drivers to begin with, driving after drinking will only add to the danger. �In 2005, 25 percent of 16-20-year-old passenger vehicle drivers fatally injured in crashes had high BACs (0.08 percent or higher).�3
Although, rape is depicted as forced sexual assault from a stranger, most commonly rape occurs between two people who are acquaintances and have known each other. The heavy use of alcohol can cause any person to be put into a situation where they have little or no control at all, ending in unprotected sex or rape. While consuming alcohol both male and females are vulnerable to rape, which can leave victims distraught and emotionally damaged. Other forms of rape are the use of drugs. When drinking alcohol, one can easily lose track of their drink or pick up a drink that has been drugged, leaving them open to sexual assault.4
Alcohol is known to be quite addictive and dependence can grab a hold of anyone in a short period of time. Being that alcohol is a depressant, its use could lead to other problems such as stress and depression. During already stressful teen years and combining that with alcohol abuse can prove to be a fatal combination. The odds of a teen with major depression to choose to commit suicide are as great as 1 to 14.5
The effects of alcohol on adolescents can prove to have harmful and dangerous results that can hurt many people. It is important to abide by the legal drinking age set and drink responsibly if the choice to consume alcohol is made. The legal drinking age is in place to help prevent teens from damaging their lives in many different ways.
College drinking
Summary
In today's society it is more than accepted for college students to drink, even if they are underage; many students even feel that if they don't participate in drinking activities that they feel ostracized. Although drinking can alleviate an awkward situation and is often used as a bonding method most people who drink don't fully understand the dangers of drinking and how easily it can turn into binge drinking.
College students are abusing drugs and alcohol and it is affecting the quality of life on college campuses. Drugs and alcohol are too easily obtained via college towns allowing these substances to be accessed without effective, environmental, and enforcement restraints. By increasing awareness of the causes of drug and alcohol abuse, and investigating how college campuses are addressing these problems, we can begin to eliminate further substance abuse on college campuses.
Drinking isn't necessarily always a dangerous thing, but what is dangerous is that many new college students don't know their limit and drink too much, feel pressured to fit in and will succumb to the pressures of binge drinking, or will participate in drinking games and will unknowingly drink to excess. . “Nearly half of America's 5.4 million full-time college students abuse drugs or drink alcohol on binges at least once a month”. 10 “The average student spends about $900 on alcohol, and only about $450 on books. Next year, 159,000 of today's first- year students will drop out of school because of alcohol or other drug-related causes”. 11 According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), not only does excess drinking lead to academic problems due to missing classes and just receiving lower grades in general (Wechsler et al., 2002) but drinking can have extremely dangerous outcomes. 599,000 students ages 18 to 24 are unintentionally injured while under the influence of alcohol, more then 696,000 are assaulted by another student under the influence, and an astonishing 1,700 students die each year from an alcohol-related injury, including motor vehicle crashes (Hingson et al., 2005). Alcohol has also been shown to lead to health problems, suicide attempts, vandalism, and property damage, involve the students with the police, cause dependence, and sexual abuse as well as unsafe sex. A scary study showed that more then 97,000 students ages 18 to 24 are victims of alcohol-related sexual assault or date rape, 100,000 report being too intoxicated to know if they had consented to having sex, and 400,000 say they had unprotected sex (Hingson et al., 2002). According to "The Phoenix" one in twelve college males admitted to committing sexual acts that would actually qualify for the legal definition of rape, or being an acquaintance, and 60% of college women reported that they were under the influence of alcohol when they were infected with STDs, including AIDS. By informing college students about the signs of alcohol poisoning and what can happen if the person isn't helped.
Signs of alcohol abuse include: mental confusion, or can't be roused, vomiting, seizures, slow or irregular breathing or hypothermia. It is best to not wait until a person has all the symptoms before making any action because it may be too late. If a person goes untreated they face the danger of choking on their own vomit, their breathing as well as heart could stop, they could get hypothermia from their low body temperature, seizures can occur from hypoglycemia or dehydration. People can also experience extreme dehydration that could lead to permanent brain damage or death.
The best way to prevent the dangers of alcohol is by avoiding drinking altogether, but if that couldn't be avoided knowing the signs of alcohol poisoning and what to do in an emergency could possibly save a personals life. Students should also know that the best thing to do is call 911 in any emergency and not risk a persons life by thinking they could handle the situation themselves.
Freshmen Consumption
Definition
There are many negative effects associated with college students and their consumption of alcohol. Heavy drinking is often associated with poor decision making, terrible academic performance, health problems, extreme dehydration, illegal activities, and many other mental and physical injuries. In 2001, a survey college drinking trends declared that there were more binge drinkers than eight years prior. 9 This is a growing concern within the United States. In 2000, the U.S Department of Health and Human Services declared that, “Lowering the proportion of students engaging in heavy drinking is an objective of the surgeon general’s national health promotion and disease prevention initiative”. 7 Within a college setting, it has been proven that there is an increased frequency and amount of drinking as individual’s progress through college. Furthermore, there is a growing interest to deter drinking with freshmen. 8 There are a myriad of reasons why college freshmen begin or continue to drink. College freshmen often start drinking because their peers accept it. Furthermore, alcohol may be used as a bonding tool to connect themselves with their peers. In order to become accepted within a group, an individual will drink, often consuming much more alcohol than they can handle.
Causes
College freshmen who have never consumed alcohol are particularly examined due to the fact that there is an unknown factor that caused them to start. Many of these individuals start drinking because they feel that it can help them relax, as a personal reward for hard work, or to temporarily forget about their problems. Additionally, freshmen have a higher tendency to start drinking if they’re away from home. Students who lived in a dorm room were more likely to begin drinking than those who still lived at home during their first year of school. The further the student is away from his or her home, the farther away they are from old influences. Since these old influences, like parents or peers, are far away, their authority becomes inactive, therefore causing a higher probability that they will begin drinking. 6 In addition, a college freshman drinking also depends on his or her peers and their own personal opinions about drinking. If their peers embrace drinking alcohol, it is more likely that the individual will drink as well. Inversely, should these peers reject alcohol; the individual is also more likely to become abstinent from alcohol use. Since many freshmen strive to conform to their peers, there is a strong social connection between freshmen and alcohol. 6 Furthermore, students who believe that there are no consequences to drinking in their environment have a higher tendency to consume alcoholic beverages. If there is no major punishment for the underage drinking, there are no serious negative effects; therefore causing the social benefits to influence the freshman to drink. 6
Environmental Factors
Environmental factors also play a large role in student alcohol and drug abuse. These factors include campus policies and procedures, availability of alcohol and other drugs, enforcement of regulations and laws, and availability of alcohol-free social and recreational options. Students may feel that in order to be accepted by their peers, they must match what they perceive to be others use of alcohol and other drugs. According to study by H. Wesley Perkins, “someone who personally believes that abusive intoxication is acceptable and simultaneously perceives a very permissive peer norm may be far more encouraged to abuse alcohol than she or he would be simply by the independent influence of one's personal attitude or a perception of a permissive environment”.12 Peers have an underlying affect upon a person’s decisions, and with peer pressure being a big problem with social activities in college, the pressure given by one’s peers needs to be ameliorated. Once the reasons these problems exist are understood, it is easier to outline the necessary actions to resolve them.
Prevention
Overall, the prevention or reduction of alcohol consumption among freshmen is possible through a number of factors. Colleges having a strict policy against drinking have a strong impact on preventing freshmen from consuming alcohol. In 2001, students reported that there were increased consequences which were being imposed by colleges. 9 This would stop students from drinking due to the potential legal risks. In addition, having comprehensive alcohol prevention programs on campus will target not only the social scene but also impact environmental factors that may promote and/or deter drinking behaviors.
In order to stop the problem, campuses need to take a stand to ensure that alcohol and illegal substances are harder to obtain in everyday life. Drugs are easily obtained via smoke shops within the college radius, allowing purchases of marijuana pipes and bongs. Alcohol is often accessible on college campuses. Liquor stores within a college radius, should accurately check I.Ds to ensure that everyone is over the legal age. Although campuses can not directly close down smoke shops or ensure all places that sell alcohol are doing their job, colleges need to become more proactive in contacting police to notify them of smoke shops around campuses that sell illegal items and substances, ensure ‘scanned ID’ checks for all alcohol permitted areas are in tact, and insist on having drug dogs in all campus livings spaces visit monthly. If campuses become more involved and familiar with their surrounding community, they can report any illegal activities and hand matters over to the law. Ultimately, the problem comes down to a right or wrong decision. Students must attain a sense of personal responsibility, and take a step back to review their actions. Students that abuse the use of alcohol and drugs are not only putting themselves in danger, but increasing the danger to their peers. “Surveys both in 1999 and again in 2001 indicate annually over 600,000 college students nationwide were hit or assaulted by a drinking college student, and in 2001 97,000 students were the victim of a date rape or assault perpetrated by a drinking college student”.13 Businesses need to find different ways to make money rather than harming college students by selling illegal or harmful substances. If people within a college community collaborate and contribute to solving such a complex issue, the problems caused by drug and alcohol will decrease.
References
1. White, Aaron M. (2004). Alcohol and the Adolescent Brain. Retrieved July 12, 2007, from http://www.duke.edu/~amwhite/Adolescence/index.html
2. Teen Help LLC � Teen Drug Abuse Articles. Teens and Alcohol. The Health Effects of Teen Alcohol Use. Retrieved July 12, 2007 from http://www.teendrugabuse.us/teensandalcohol.html
3. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety � Highway Loss Data Institute. (2007). Research and Statistics. Q&A: Teenagers � Underage Drinking. Retrieve July 12, 2007 from http://www.iihs.org/research/qanda/underage.html
4. Teens Health (2006) Date Rape. Retrieved July 12, 2007 from http://www.kidshealth.org/teen/your_mind/problems/date_rape.html
5. The National Youth Violence Prevention Resource Center. (2002). Facts for Teens: Depression. Retrieved July 16, 2007 from http://www.safeyouth.org/scripts/teens/docs/depression.pdf
6. Lindsay, V. (2006, December). Factors that predict freshmen college students’ preference to drink alcohol. [Letter to the editor]. Journal of Alcohol & Drug Education, 50, 7-19.
7. Michael, K. D., Curtin, L., Kirkley, D. E., Jones, D. L., & Harris Jr., R. (2006, December). Group-Based motivational interviewing for alcohol use among college students: An exploratory study. Professional Psychology: Research & Fact, 37, 629-634.
8. Thombs, D. L., Olds, R. S., Osborn, C. J., Casseday, S., Glavin, K., & Berkowitz, A. D. (2007, May). Outcomes of a technology-based social norms intervention to deter alcohol use in freshman residence halls. Journal of American College Health, 55, 325-332.
9. Wechsler, H., Lee, J. E., Kuo, M., Seibring, M., Nelson, T. F., & Lee, H. (2002, March). Trends in college binge drinking during a period of increased prevention efforts. Journal of American College Health, 50, 203-217.
10. Leinwand, Donna (2007, Feb. 25). College drug use, binge-drinking rise. USA Today, Retrieved April 28, 2008, from http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-03-15-college-drug-use_N.htm
11.Weinstein, N Facts on tap: School Daze?. Retrieved May 2, 2008, from Phoenix House: Healing Families, Strengthening Communities, Saving Lives Web site: http://www.factsontap.org/factsontap/alcohol_and_student_life/school_daze.htmsite:http://www.factsontap.org/factsontap/alcohol_and_student_life/school_daze.htm
12.Perkins, H. W., Weschsler H. (Fall 1996) Variation in Perceived College Drinking Norms and its Impact on Alcohol Abuse: A Nationwide Study. Journal of Drug Issues; Fall96, Vol. 26 Issue 4, p961-974, 14p, 2 charts
13.Hingson, R., Heeren, T., Winter, M., Wechsler, H., (April 2005) Magnitude of Alcohol-Related Mortality and Morbidity Among U.S. College Students Ages 18-24: Changes from 1998 to 2001 Annual Review of Public Health; 2005, Vol. 26 Issue 1, p259-279, 21p, 2 charts
Alcoholism
Alcoholism also known as alcohol dependence is a disease that is chronically and includes the following symptoms: - Carving; a strong need/urge to drink. - Tolerance; the need to drink greater amounts of alcohol to get drunk. - Loss of control; not being able to stop drinking once it has began. - Physical dependence; withdrawal symptoms such as sweating, shakiness, nausea and anxiety after stopping drinking.
Alcoholic people will despite serious health, family and legal problems continue drinking. The disease last for a lifetime and cannot be cured. An alcoholic who stopped drinking can still after a long time of soberness relapse. But there are various treatment programs for alcoholics that can help. The risk of developing alcoholism is influenced by a persons genes and his/hers lifestyle. The researches of alcoholism have show that if it runs in the family you have a greater risk of getting it.6
Refrences
1) Help guide at http://www.helpguide.org/mental/alcohol_abuse_alcoholism_signs_effects_treatment.htm
2) Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse at http://www.well.com/user/woa/fsalphar.htm
3) Alcohol: Neurobiology and Pharmacology at http://www.alcoholmedicalscholars.org/pharm-out.htm
4) http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/aa63/aa63.htm
5) The book: Alcohol: No Ordinary Commodity : Research and Public Policy.
Oxford Medical Publications. Publish in 2003, United States by Oxford University Press Inc. New York.
