You go on holiday to have a good time and, no doubt, often drink quite a large amount of alcohol. Try and drink plenty of water to keep yourself hydrated. You should try to avoid swimming after drinking alcohol, and if you are out on a night, make sure you know exactly how to get back to where you are staying.

Drinking and driving is illegal no matter which country you are in, and in many European countries the amount you are allowed to drink and drive is much lower than in the UK.

In some states in the USA, such as California, it is illegal to smoke cigarettes in public places, including pubs and bars.

Smuggling drugs into or out of the United Kingdom is illegal and there are severe sentences. HM Customs and Excise use sniffer dogs at airports and ports in their efforts to detect the illegal movement of drugs in the UK. If you are suspected of carrying Class A drugs you may be questioned and possibly strip searched. Customs and Excise may offer a financial penalty instead of a court hearing if you are found with very small amounts of some drugs.

Penalties for using and smuggling drugs vary around the world, for example:

In Turkey you could receive 25 years in jail and in Cyprus you could be in for a long prison sentence for possession, or receive a large fine thanks to their zero tolerance policy.

In Tunisia, if you are caught smoking cannabis or in possession any other soft drugs you will most likely receive a prison sentence.

In Thailand, possession of even tiny quantities of drugs can lead to imprisonment and sentences of 50 years without remission are not unusual. In the most serious cases, the death penalty can be given. Possession of 20 grammes or more of any Class A drug at a Thai exit point is classed as trafficking and, if found guilty, the death sentence is usually given. In Thailand, amphetamines and ecstasy are both considered Class A drugs.

In Spain, possession of any drug is illegal and could result in a prison sentence, and in the Balearic Islands (Mallorca, Ibiza and Menorca) it is also illegal to drink alcohol in the streets.

If you have a criminal record you may be refused entry into some countries, particularly the USA.

Source - www.bbc.co.uk