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Alcohol Facts
ALCOHOL IS A DRUG
Alcohol is a depressant. A 12-ounce can of beer, a
4-ounce glass of wine, and a mixed drink all have the
same level of alcohol and are equally intoxicating. One
type of alcohol is not safer than the other. Alcohol is
an addictive drug that in large amounts can kill you. It
is also illegal for anyone under the age of 21 to use
alcohol. Know the facts before you risk it.
ALCOHOL AFFECTS THE BODY
When a person drinks alcohol, it is absorbed by the
stomach, enters the bloodstream and goes to all the
body's tissues. Alcohol can create a feeling of
relaxation, confidence, euphoria or being "buzzed" but
these are temporary effects. Since alcohol is a
depressant, it eventually causes you to feel sleepy,
drowsy, restless and sometimes agitated. The agitation
can lead people to drink more to re-create the feeling
of being "buzzed". The use of low to moderate amounts of
alcohol can increase aggressive behavior. Even in small
quantities, alcohol significantly impairs the judgment
and coordination required to drive a car safely. The
effects of moderate alcohol consumption include feeling
dizzy and being very talkative. The effects of consuming
a larger amount of alcohol include slurred speech,
disturbed sleep, nausea and vomiting.
Hangovers are a possible effect after alcohol is
consumed. A hangover consists of headache, nausea,
thirst, dizziness and fatigue. Prolonged heavy use of
alcohol can lead to addiction. Sudden stopping after
long-term usage is likely to produce withdrawal
symptoms, such as: severe anxiety, tremors,
hallucinations and convulsions. Long-term effects of
consuming large quantities of alcohol may include
permanent damage to vital organs including the brain and
liver.
Every individual reacts differently to alcohol. The
effects of alcohol depend on a variety of factors
including a person's size, weight, body composition,
metabolism rate, age, sex, mood, and food consumed.
Using alcohol along with medications can be very
dangerous. (Over 100 medications - prescriptions and
over-the-counter medicines, interact with alcohol and
can lead to increased risk of illness, injury and death.
The effects of alcohol are increased by medicines like
sleeping pills, antihistamines, antidepressants,
anti-anxiety drugs and some painkillers.) Women become
more intoxicated than men after drinking the same amount
of alcohol when differences in body weight are taken
into account. Women's bodies have proportionately less
water than men's bodies. The result is that a woman ends
up with a higher alcohol concentration than a man, after
they have consumed the same amount.
The concentration of alcohol in the body is referred to
as the Blood Alcohol Level (BAL). Your body processes
alcohol at a constant rate of .5 oz. per hour regardless
of how many ounces you consume. The faster you drink,
the higher your BAL will be. Contrary to common beliefs,
a cold shower, fresh air or hot coffee will not help to
sober a person; only time will remove alcohol from the
system.
A lot of teens think that when it comes to alcohol,
"everyone is doing it". To fit in or make friends, teens
sometime think that they have to drink too. The facts
are that not everyone is drinking alcohol; it just seems
that the kids who are drinking seem to make a lot of
noise about it. They may even try to make you feel like
you are missing something by not getting drunk. In fact,
the majority of teens choose not to drink. They think
that getting drunk isn't worth the risks of getting
caught, becoming addicted or accidentally killing
yourself or your friends by driving drunk. They know the
facts and choose to shoot hoops, watch a movie,
snowboard or do a million other things instead.
MICHIGAN LAW & ALCOHOL
According to Michigan law,
it is illegal for a person under the age of 21 to…
- Consume alcohol.
- Have any bodily
alcohol content.
- Buy alcohol.
- Have alcohol in
their possession, regardless if they consumed it or
not.
- Use a fake ID to
obtain alcohol.
- Transport an
unopened alcohol container in a motor vehicle.
- Possess or transfer
an opened alcohol container in a motor vehicle.
- Allow any person to
use your motor vehicle after they have been
drinking.
If you are under 21 and are
caught with alcohol in your possession ("Minor In
Possession" or MIP), you may expect the following
consequences:
The First
Time:
- Fines up to
$100
- Substance
abuse screening/assessment at your own
expense
- If you are
under 18, your parents will be notified
- Community
service
- Entered into
a statewide tracking system
- Opportunity
to not have a misdemeanor record if you
complete all probation requirements.
The Second
Time:
- Fines up
to $200
-
Substance abuse screening/assessment at
your own expense
- If you
are under 18, your parents will be
notified
- 90 day
suspension of driver's license
-
Community service
- If you
have failed to complete any treatment,
screening, community service or fines
from a prior MIP, you may receive JAIL
TIME.
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