ALCOHOL

Alcohol
 one of the oldest intoxicants, has been a
subject of continuous efforts to control its
consumption due to its devastating effects on
human life.
 In the Philippines, it has been observed that
many individuals involved in cases of physical
assault are under the influence of alcohol,
and the victims themselves are often
intoxicated.
 Additionally, alcohol has had a negative

impact on the rate of road accidents, with

drunk drivers causing accidents at a
significantly higher rate compared to sober
drivers (Sharma, 1977).
Nature and Property

 Colorless, tasteless clear liquid

 It has a pleasant odor and gives a burning

sensation to the mouth, esophagus and
stomach.

 Can poison the human body if taken in large

amounts or in combination with other drugs.

 It is a depressant.
Two kinds of alcohol
 Methyl alcohol - is very poisonous and is not
put in drinks but is use in some industries

 Ethyl alcohol- is used in alcoholic drinks,

which are made by breweries.
The common alcoholic drinks

 Beers – They contain 2 to 6 % alcohol, e.i.

beer, ale, etc.
 Wines – They contain about 10 percent

alcohol, e.i. champagne, hock.

 Fortified wines – Liquors that contains 10 to

60 percent alcohol, e.i. port-sherry, others.

 Spirits – Liquors that contain 40 t0 60 percent

alcohol, e.i. whiskey, brandy, rum, gins.

Types of drinkers

 Occasional drinker – One who drinks on

special occasions or uses alcohol as a home
remedy, takes only a few drinks per year.
 Frequent drinker – One who drinks at parties

and social affairs.

 Regular drinker – He may drink daily or

consistently or weekends, usually comes from

cultural background where wine or beer is
used with meals to enhance the flavor of the
food.
 Alcohol dependent – One who drinks to have
good time, excessive drinking occurs
occasionally but drinker may not become
alcoholic.
 Alcoholic – One who has lost control of his

use of alcohol.
Usual Motives for Drinking

 Traditional – Social and religious functions.

Example of this is during family gatherings,
drinking alcohol is already a part of it.
 Status – Symbol of success and prestige,

when we celebrate success like during

graduations and the likes, drinking alcohol is
also a part of the celebration.
 Dietary – Dining incomplete without wine,

integral part of today’s way of “gracious

living”.
 Social – Release tension and inhibitions so
user can tolerate and enjoy another’s
company.
 Shortcut to adulthood – User unsure of

maturity, drinks to prove himself.

 Ritual – Fosters group feeling, cocktail
parties, toasts made to brides, wishes for
good health. A very good example of this is
our culture. Alcohol is part of the rituals.
 Path of least resistance – Doesn’t want to

drink but doesn’t want to abstain so goes

along with everyone else. At times this is due
to peer pressure, because you wanted to let
your friends feel that you are inn, you tend to
do what they are doing.
 EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL ON THE DRINKER
General effect on the Body

 Alcohol is narcotic.
 Euphoria – This is a feeling of wellbeing increased
confidence, temporary relief from fatigue, pain or
depression.
 Muscular in coordination –The person may become
hilarious, morose, irritable or excitable without
proper cause. He may suffer from slurred speech and
staggering gait.
 Respiratory paralysis – If more liquor is consumed the
paralysis of the respiratory centers sets in, the person
may suffer from complete in coordination of muscles,
stertorous breathing, sleep, coma, and death.
 Fatal dose – The fatal dose of liquor of an
ordinary person is about 200 to 500 ml of
absolute alcohol (for adults) and about 50 ml
onward for children.
 Fatal period – The fatal effects of alcohol may

appear with in 10 to 24 hours. But in some

cases, death may take place even after a
number of days.
 Alcoholic allergy – Some persons are allergic

to alcoholic drinks. The drinks may cause

them to be mad and they behave like maniacs
under the influence of liquor.
Effects on the brain and central nervous system

 Alcohol impairs brain function by slowing down

the activity of brain cells and disrupting the
transmission of messages to the body. This can
lead to improper behavior towards others, as
individuals may act on impulsive thoughts, say
nonsensical things, or display rudeness. Alcohol
can also create a false sense of power or
confidence in individuals. Following a period of
heavy drinking, when the pain-relieving effects of
alcohol wear off, individuals may experience a
hangover. Hangover refers to the unpleasant
symptoms and physical effects that occur after
excessive alcohol consumption.
Effects on the Stomach and intestines

 Alcohol damages the stomach and

intestines and makes them sore. This can
cause a burning sensation, nausea and
vomiting. Sometimes there is bleeding.
Effects on the liver

 The first thing the liver does it to turn part of

the alcohol into fat. Some of this goes into
the blood, but a lot builds up in the liver
cells. After drinking six (6) medium sized
glass of beer every day for a few days fat is
formed in the liver, the liver becomes larger.
As the liver enlarges, it changes the way other
drugs and medicines work in the body.
 Heavy drinking takes a toll on the liver, and
can lead to a variety of problems and liver
inflammations including: Steatosis, or fatty
liver, Alcoholic hepatitis, Fibrosis, and
Cirrhosis.
Effect on the heart and muscles

 Alcohol affects the heart and other muscles

so that they become weaker and less
effective. This makes people tired and
breathless.
 Drinking a lot over a long time or too much

on a single occasion can damage the heart,

causing problems including: Cardiomyopathy
– Stretching and drooping of heart muscle,
Arrhythmias – Irregular heartbeat, Stroke, and
High blood pressure.
Effects on the blood

 The activity of the liver trying to get rid of the

alcohol results in many changes to the blood
– for example – blood sugar is lowered and
blood fats are increased.
 Drinking too much alcohol can raise blood

pressure to unhealthy levels. Having more

than three drinks in one sitting temporarily
raises your blood pressure, but repeated
binge drinking can lead to long-term
increases.
Effects on the kidneys

 Alcohol decreased the ability of the kidneys

to get rid of some waste products.
 Alcohol affects the kidneys' ability to keep the

correct balance of water and electrolytes in

the body. This leads to impaired function of
the kidneys and increases the risk of
developing kidney stones. Chronic
dehydration puts you at greater risk for these
adverse effects.
Effects on general health

 Malnutrition: the illness that occurs when a

person doesn’t have enough food to eat or
eats the wrong kind of food. The person who
drinks alcohol may suffer from malnutrition
because he spends his time, money and
energy in drinking
EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL ABUSE ON THE COMMUNITY

 Home: Heavy drinkers take money needed for food, clothes

and furniture. This causes debts. Husbands and wife fight
and accuse each other of being unfaithful. There will be
often sexual problems. Children are badly treated and badly
fed. And drinking makes people lazy and they may not go to
work. Women may have to steal food to feed their families.

 Friends: The heavy drinker will often fight with his friend may
even kill people.

 Work: They heavy drinker often does not go to work because

he feels sick. He sometimes works badly and hurts himself or
others.
 Play: Heavy drinkers have a bad effect on sportsmen.
Because alcohol affects the brain, the drinker cannot
control his arms and legs well. A sportsman who has been
drinking cannot play well, as he should.

 Roads: The driver has lost his judgment; he is careless and

takes risks. Accidents results. A person who is drunk may
walk onto the road and killed by a motor vehicle.
 Crime: Excessive drinking is the biggest cause of crime.
People become aggressive, fight, break into houses and
steal.

 Economy and the nation: The economy is badly affected

when people do not go to work and production falls. Heavy
demands are made on health services, the police force and
correctional institutions. Alcoholism is burden to the
government.
ALCOHOL DEPENDENCY

 The use of alcohol in the Philippines has resulted in

significant social, economic, and health issues,
highlighting the failure of government controls. Many
Filipinos have developed alcohol dependence or abuse,
which involves continuous drinking that can lead to
addiction and various severe problems. Alcohol abuse
or dependence, often referred to as alcoholism or
problem drinking, occurs when an individual faces
difficulty in quitting alcohol consumption. They become
unable to live without it and experience withdrawal
symptoms such as tremors, shakes, and overall
discomfort when attempting to stop drinking.
Additionally, acute anxiety, fear, delirium, and
hallucinations may occur as well.
 Legal control
 Intoxication: According to the Revised Penal Code
Criminal Law book 1, there is a provision for alternative
circumstances. These circumstances are evaluated as
either aggravating or mitigating factors based on the
nature and effects of the crime, as well as the conditions
surrounding its commission. Specifically, when it comes
to the intoxication of the offender, it is considered a
mitigating circumstance if the offender committed a
crime while under the influence of alcohol, provided that
the intoxication is not habitual or planned in advance.
However, if the intoxication is habitual, intentional, or a
result of planning to commit the crime, it will be
considered an aggravating circumstance. This provision
is outlined in Article 15 of the Revised Penal Code.
 Liquor as a Volatile Substance: Under P.D.
1619, sale and offer to sell to minors of
liquors or beverages with alcohol content 30%
or above is punishable by 6 months and one
day to 4 years’ imprisonment and fine of
P600.00 pesos to P4000.00 pesos
Social control

 Social control of alcoholism comes in varied

means like education and awareness,
community activities, and individual or group
therapies. Today, one of the numerous
programs for alcoholics is the religious
means of alcoholics anonymous or the
Double A.
Alcoholics anonymous
 : It is a practical approach to the problem of
alcoholism which has met a considerable
success. It is an organization that operates in a
nonprofessional-counseling program in which
both person-to-person and group relationships
are emphasized. It accepts both teenagers and
adults with drinking problem, has no fees or
dues, does not keep records or case histories,
does not participate in political causes, and is not
affiliated with any religious sect, although
spiritual development is the key aspects of its
treatment approach.
Medical control

 Alcoholism can be treated through biological

measures ranging from detoxification
procedures to brain surgery. However, it is
more practical for alcoholics to undergo
medical measures of detoxification.
Detoxification
 : It is the elimination of alcoholic substances
from the individual’s body; treatment of the
withdrawal symptoms; and on medical regimen
for physical rehabilitation. These can be handled
in a hospital or clinic, where drugs such as
Chlordiazepoxide, have largely revolutionized the
treatment withdrawal symptoms. Likewise, the
drug Disulfiram (Antabuse) can create
uncomfortable effects when followed by alcohol
and may administer to prevent an immediate
return to drinking (Coleman, 1980).
 Alcohol investigation

 Illicit Liquors: Thorough search of the premises especially

cattle sheds, unfrequented places, ravines and jungles is
necessary to locate unauthorized stills and storages.
Collection of evidences includes the collection of the
paraphernalia, fingerprints and tool marks.
 Evidence of intoxication: Intoxication may have to be
established in cases of deaths, in offense against person,
in motor vehicle accidents and in cases where diminish
responsibility is claimed as a defense. Evidences of
intoxication require the collection of samples of bloods,
urine, saliva or breath each whenever possible, and other
body fluids for laboratory examinations.
 Examination for Intoxication: Intoxication is
identified through various means like physical
test, alcohol analysis, and medical
examination. In medical examination, the
investigator should consider smell of breath,
state of clothing, general demeanor, speech,
eyes, walk, memory, breathing, and tremors
of the extremities.