North Wales Substance Misuse Forum website. |
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Alcohol |
| Drinks Diary |
Drug |
Alcohol |
Common Name |
Beer and lager, cider, alco-pops, alco-milks, spirits (including meths/white spirit), wine, etc |
Description |
Liquid |
Routes of use |
Ingestion |
Effects Required |
Alcohol is a depressant drug (not a stimulant as many people think), it slows down the brain and hence the body's reactions. Common effects experienced include loss of inhibitions, relaxation, talkativeness and a 'warm feeling' of enhanced well being. |
Other Effects |
The higher the dose the worse the effects. There can be a loss of control over speech, vision, the limbs, consciousness and even life. The lowering of reaction times and impairing of judgement makes driving extremely hazardous. Methylated spirits can also cause permanent damage to the eyes leading to blindness. Most people vomit and dehydrate after a drinking binge. Long term and heavy drinking has been linked to liver damage, heart disease, brain damage, certain cancers, pancreatitis and several other disorders of the reproductive system and sexual organs. Having risky sex whilst drunk can lead to exposure to sexually transmitted diseases. |
Dependence and Tolerance |
There can be both physical and psychological dependence to the effects of alcohol. The tolerance to these effects increases with regular drinking therefore more drink is required to produce the same effects. |
Legality |
It is legal in this country to purchase or drink alcohol over the age of 18. It is not illegal for anyone over 5 years of age to drink alcohol. 16 year olds can drink alcohol (but not spirits) in a pub if they are having a meal. It is legal to produce your own beer and wine but not spirits. There are limits to the amount you can drink before being in charge of a road vehicle. |
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