Street Names:
Booze, sauce.

Description:
Pure alcohol is a clear liquid.  In commercial form, normally a clear liquid but some liqueurs are opaque.  A bottle of regular beer, a cocktail, a glass of wine, a smaller glass of sherry, port, or vermouth each contain about 10 g. of pure alcohol.

Origin and Medical Uses:
Can be synthesized or produced naturally by fermentation of fruits, vegetables or grains.  Although some physicians may occasionally recommend alcohol in moderation, this is not a common medical practice.

Short Term Effects:
Affects parts of the brain and spinal cord in proportion to amount of alcohol in bloodstream.  Usual effects of small dose are euphoria, drowsiness, dizziness, flushing, release of inhibitions and tensions.  Larger doses produce slurred speech, staggering, double vision, and stupor.  Alcohol, even in fairly low doses, impairs driving.  In combination with other drugs, small doses of alcohol may produce exaggerated effects.  (See synergism.)  Beginning 8 to 12 hours after consumption, excessive drinking may produce headache, nausea, shakiness, and vomiting and the combination of these symptoms is commonly referred to as a hangover.  Very large doses can cause death by blocking the brain's control over respiration.

Long Term Effects:
Regular consumption of four drinks a day may gradually bring about liver damage, brain damage, heart disease, certain types of cancer, blackouts (loss of memory), impotence, ulcers, and disorders of the pancreas.  Chronic heavy use of alcohol results in disruptions of the drinker's social, family and working life.  Pregnant women who drink excessively may have babies with abnormalities such as mental deficiency, physical deformities, and cardiac defects.

Tolerance and Dependence:
Regular use of alcohol induces tolerance, making increased doses necessary to produce the desired effect.  Chronic users may drink steadily without appearing to get drunk.  Their condition may go unrecognized, even by themselves, for some time.  Chronic drinkers are likely to become physically dependent and psychologically dependent.  Withdrawal symptoms range from jumpiness, sleeplessness, sweating, and poor appetite to tremors, convulsions, hallucinations and even death.

Sources:

(1).  Straight Facts About Drugs & Drug Abuse, Revised Edition, Health and Welfare Canada, copyright Minister of Supply and Services Canada, 1990

(2).  Drugs and Alcohol Behaviour: An Introduction to Behavioral Pharmacology, Second Edition, by William A. McKim, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Prentice Hall, 1991

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