What are some facts about alcohol?
Alcohol is a widespread drug that effects almost every family in America. Many people do not realize that alcohol is a drug. A drug is defined as a substance other than food intended to affect the structure or function of the body; something that causes addiction, habituation, or a marked change in consciousness. Some alcohol facts: • Alcohol is society’s legal, oldest and most popular drug. • A standard drink is defined as 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 72 proof spirits, all of which contain the same amount of alcohol, about .54 ounces. • The speed of alcohol absorption affects the rate at which a person becomes drunk. Alcohol does not have to be slowly digested, like food. As a person drinks faster than the alcohol can be eliminated, the drug accumulates in the body resulting in higher and higher levels of alcohol in the blood. • The average person metabolizes alcohol at the rate of about one drink per hour. Only time can sober up a person. Drinking strong coff
