Alcohol: The Basics

Thanks to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism for the following facts.

Drinking alcohol is itself not necessarily a problem, but drinking too much can cause a range of consequences, and increase the risk that bad things will happen to you.

What are the Consequences?

Alcohol enters your bloodstream as soon as you take your first sip. Alcohol’s immediate effects can appear within about 10 minutes. As you drink, you increase your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level, which is the amount of alcohol present in your bloodstream.  The higher your BAC, the more impaired you become by alcohol’s effects.  These effects can include:

• Reduced inhibitions
• Slurred speech
• Motor impairment
• Confusion
• Memory problems
• Concentration problems
• Coma
• Breathing problems
• Death

Other risks of drinking can include:
• Car crashes and other accidents
• Risky behavior
• Violent behavior
• Suicide and homicide

People who drink too much over a long period of time may experience alcohol’s longer-term effects, which can include:

• Alcohol dependence
• Health problems
• Increased risk for certain forms of cancer

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