| Alcohol: Harm Reduction Advice |
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Drug Information - Alcohol Alcohol is seen by many as part of our national way of life. Although it is clearly a harmful drug, most people view it very differently from illegal drugs. To many young people, the older generation’s views on alcohol and other drugs are quite hypocritical. Alcohol is socially acceptable yet causes much more harm overall than drugs like cannabis and ecstasy. Alcohol is marketed to maximise its appeal. Drugs which are illegal usually come without attractive marketing and are more likely to be taken in secret, making their consumption seem more grubby and shameful. In comparison, huge resources and great expertise are deployed to manufacture and promote alcohol as crisp lagers, complex whiskies or refined wines. The UK’s consumption of alcohol has increased almost every year since the war. Much lower prices have been a big factor. But heavy drinkers will always spend a large amount of money on alcohol. People in countries like France and Italy actually drink more overall than people in the UK but their intake is often steadier, and alongside meals, so overall there is less drunkenness. Effects The active chemical in alcohol is ethanol and it is produced by fermentation of fruit or grains. It is a depressive substance producing drowsiness but can, by switching off parts of the brain which put the brakes on behaviour, increase excitement and make people very animated. But it also slows reactions and reduces attention span so you may talk more but make less sense, and drive more dangerously. Too much alcohol drunk too quickly will make you vomit and/or pass out. People react differently to alcohol, some are largely unaffected emotionally, others become withdrawn, others aggressive. Some simply don’t like it and their choice should be respected. A growing number of people, now around 15% of adults in this country, don't drink at all. Harms We know of a wider range of serious harms associated with alcohol than with any other drug, partly because it is particularly dangerous, partly because it is so well studied and widely used. Besides the physical harms of prolonged use in causing liver and heart disease, cancer and strokes, there are also many ways of coming to harm through intoxication. These include domestic or street violence, road deaths (aside from the problem of drunk drivers, a third of pedestrians killed by cars are drunk) or simple accidents caused by being physically incapable when drunk. There has been trends reported in the media for trying to consume alcohol, usually vodka, in a shot glass through the eyeball. The supposed advantage to the drinker is a faster rate of alcohol absorbtion than through drinking, but this seems unlikely. It is however painful and highly dangerous, with the risk of permanent damage to the eye from both the alcohol and the bottle. The Department of Health estimates over 20,000 people die prematurely from alcohol and alcohol-related incidents. Alcohol is poisonous and kills more than 50 people in Britain from overdoses each year. Very heavy drinking over a sustained period is likely to affect your mental functioning, causing depression and anxiety and sometimes paranoia. Alcohol can also be destructive to relationships with partners, parents and with children. When drinking gets out of hand, it can damage the motivation to work and study. Safer Drinking The Government’s recommended daily drinking limits are no more than 3-4 units per day for men and 2-3 for women is a good guideline for responsible drinking but the figure has no specific scientific basis. Alcohol is toxic; it is not harmless below a certain number of units, and harmful above it. Many drink much more than this amount (there are about 3 units in a 5% strength pint of beer or a large glass of wine) and all drinkers would be advised to: • always avoid binge-drinking or high levels of intoxication, • keep all spirits to a minimum, • have more than one day every week with no alcohol • not drink on an empty stomach • take water between drinks as much as possible. Many drugs including alcohol loosen people’s inhibitions so they are more likely to have casual sexual experiences. When drunk there is a much greater risk of pregnancy, STDs and dangerous sexual practises as well as being victims of assaults both sexual and physical. Lunchtime drinking during the working week used to be common but now is largely socially unacceptable. In any case, if you have a manual job involving machinery, it is inadvisable and may even be illegal. A very heavy night may mean alcohol is still in your blood system the following morning. Ten per cent of drink-drivers are caught between 6 a.m. and midday. You may also smell of alcohol which is never good if noticed by your partner or your boss. Everyone should know when it’s time to say ‘enough’. Addiction (Alcoholism) Alcohol is an addictive drug. Developing a chronic addiction over a short period is not usual like it can be with heroin and crack. But people who have been drinking over the recommended limit for some years, even just ‘socially’, may find themselves developing a level of dependence. Studies show that the younger people start drinking, the more likely they are to develop alcohol problems later in life. When people find themselves prioritising access to alcohol above other concerns when planning their time, they should consider reducing their intake or stopping for a while. Physical signs of addiction include hand tremors, sweating, and blackouts. Addicts may drink daily, drink alone, start earlier in the day and go on prolonged sessions with little recollection of events. Hangover A ‘hangover’ is a sure sign you have drunk too much the night before. It is hard to predict exactly how bad a hangover may be but is more likely if drinking over several hours, if drinks are mixed, and will be more acute if little food or water is taken. Young people are generally able to recover more quickly than older drinkers. The main signs of a hangover include headache, lethargy, low mood and sometimes vomiting. There is no cure for a hangover, the best way of recovering is to re-hydrate regularly with water (not fizzy drinks) and avoid more alcohol, caffeine and tobacco. Healthy food (not fried) helps as does light exercise and further sleep. The Law Alcohol is a legal drug which is taxed and regulated. It raises about £15bn in tax per year in UK. Although banned in many Muslim countries, it was only illegal in the West in the 1920s when prohibition became law in USA. The ban on alcohol reduced consumption but people tended to drink stronger products like whisky instead of beer. Banning alcohol also allowed organised crime to become considerably more powerful through illegal supply. In UK, you may legally buy alcohol from age of 18 (restricted locally to 21 or 25 in some places) but that does not mean it can be consumed anywhere. The police may at least confiscate it from if in a public place and can arrest you for drunkenness or anti-social behaviour. It is not legal to drink on some forms of public transport like buses or underground trains. |