Drugs and Society Final

• 14%
• because higher levels of alcohol kill the yeast.

sugar ----> ethyl alcohol + carbon dioxide

a roasted grain (usually barley) that is combined with water, hops, and yeast

• Lager is 4% alcohol
• Ale is 5% alcohol

wines are usually made from grapes but any sugar source will do (rice is used for sake)

• Unfortified wines = about 12% alcohol
• Fortified (sherry or port) = 20-21% alcohol

• distilled spirits (liquors) result from distilling fermentation products.
• Brandy is distilled from wine
• Rum from sugar cane
• Vodka from potatoes
• Gin from grains

• Liquors and whiskeys = 40 to 50% alcohol
• Everclear = 95% alcohol

• 20% by stomach
• 80% by small intestine

at a continuous rate which depends on bodyweight, amount drunk, time since last drink, and other factors such as tolerance, age, health, and presence of other drugs

Alcohol is broken down by Alcohol dehydrogenase to Acetaldehyde to Acetic Acid finally to carbon dioxide water and energy

stops the metabolic process after acetaldehyde causing excess acetaldehyde to build up making the consumer feel nausious thus its use as a way to stop alcoholic drinking

• blood alcohol content
• is the measure of the % of alcohol in 100 mls of blood

• 0.095 causing him to be legally drunk.
• the legal limit is 0.08

• gastric juices stimulated
• blood vessel dilation
• relaxation and disinhibition
• increased sexual drive

• muscular coordination is impaired
• slurred speech
• loss of emotional control
• impaired sexual performance
• alcohol poisoning (overdose): vomiting, unconsciousness, coma, death, BAC of  0.4 is the threshold for alcohol poisoning
• hangover: headache, nausea, fatigue, thirst, inability to concentrate, depression

• liver problems include a condition called fatty liver where the liver becoomes enlarged and cirrhosis where scar tissue replaces normal liver cells
• heart problems incllude irregular heart rhythms and hypertension
• brain atrophy and enlarged ventricles are observed. memory loss and dementias result from prolonged heavy drinking
• loss of libido and erectile disfunction
• stomach problems include gastritis and ulcers
• malnutrition. alcoholics receive all their calories form alcohol which contains no vitamins (thiamine), minerals or protein

• growth retardation
• CNS abnormalities
• structural abnormalities of the head and face
• delayed intellectual development

• greatest damage results from early heavy exposure
• binge drinking resulting in a high BAC is the most dangerous drinking pattern