ALCOHOL

WHAT IS ALCOHOL?

• Water, flavorings, organic matter and

minerals are added to ethanol to form beer
and wine.
• Alcohol can be altered to create liquors such
as whiskey, gin and vodka.

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 WHAT IS ALCOHOL?

• When alcohol is first consumed, it may

give the drinker a certain energy or “buzz”
• However alcohol is actually a depressant
that causes the CNS to slow down.
• It’s only a matter of time until the person
becomes drunk……

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 WHAT IS ALCOHOL?

Intoxication: is a limitation of the body’s

physical and mental status, ranging from
feeling energized to being unconscious.

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 SHORT-TERM EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL

BRAIN
• Alcohol can reach the brain in a
short amount of time and the
brain’s ability to control the body is
greatly affected. Fine motor skills,
speech, and vision may be affected.
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 SHORT-TERM EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL

HEART
• Alcohol causes the heart rate to
increase and the blood vessels to
expand. Due to the expanded blood
vessels, blood is circulated closer to
the outer most layer of skin, allowing
the body’s heat to escape easier. 6
 SHORT-TERM EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL

LIVER
• The liver is the organ that processes the
alcohol in the body and turns it back into
water and carbon dioxide.
• When more alcohol is consumed faster than
the liver can handle, the alcohol continues to
circulate the blood stream causing
intoxication.
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 SHORT-TERM EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL

Respiratory System
• The lungs release carbon dioxide
from the body while a person is
breathing.
• The water passes out of the body
in the form of urine, perspiration,
and breath vapor. 8
 SHORT-TERM EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL

STOMACH
• Some of the alcohol consumed by a
person will pass through the lining of
their stomach to reach the bloodstream.
• Ingesting too much alcohol in a short
amount of time my cause the stomach to
reject the poison and vomiting may occur.
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 SHORT-TERM EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL

• Alcohol can affect a persons judgment and

may interfere with a persons ability to
control decisions, behavior and emotions.
• The chances of contracting sexually
transmitted diseases, unplanned
pregnancies, and violence is greatly
increased when a person is under the
influence of alcohol.
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 SHORT-TERM EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL

Drinking & Driving:

• Alcohol reduces a persons ability to judge distances,
speeds, and turns.
• Makes a person take risks they normally would not.
• Slows down a persons reflexes.
• The most deadly short term effect of alcohol is
driving under the influence of alcohol. (DUI)

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SHORT-TERM EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL

• Driving under the influence of alcohol is the

leading cause of death among teenagers.
• On average 11 teenagers are killed and 350
injured everyday in the U.S. due to drunk driving.

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 LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL

• Long-term excessive use of alcohol can

lead to severe brain damage.
• Moderate drinking can result in the loss
of brain cells.
• Loss of brain cells can cause impairment
of intellectual abilities like memory and
problem solving.
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LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL

• If you choose to continue to use alcohol while

you are pregnant with a baby, many different
problem can arise. Whatever a mother
consumes the baby also consumes. If a mother
is drunk, there is a good chance here unborn
baby is also.
• Fetal Alcohol Syndrome results from prolonged
use of alcohol while pregnant. It can lead to
many birth defects such as low birth weight,
deformation, developmental difficulties, mental
impairments, even death. 14
 LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL

• Alcohol also interferes with the livers ability to

function properly.
• The liver is unable to break down fats creating a
fatty build up within the liver that prohibits it
from functioning properly.
• Longtime heavy use of alcohol can cause a
condition call Cirrhosis. This is a condition in
which liver tissue is destroyed and then
replaced with scarred tissue.
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