Rules:
Stay mature.
Don't argue, debate.
Provide facts and cite yourself.
I will start us off by giving some facts as to why I believe, myself, that alcohol should be completely out-lawed and labeled as a criminal substance.
Facts:
#1. College students spend more on alcohol than on textbooks.
#2. Alcohol is a depressant.
#3. Alcohol-related accidents are the #1 killer of teens.
#4. 1.4 million teens a year are injured in some way through an alcohol related accident.
#5. Up to 2/3 of date rape cases involve alcohol.
#6. Binge drinking can lead to permanent brain damage; coma, then death, can happen in less than an hour.
#7. 8% of all ER visits each year for illness or injuries are associated with alcohol
#8. Excessive drinking can decrease the amount of testosterone in a man's body and cause impotence.
#9. Birth control pills slow down the rate at which alcohol is eliminated from the body.
#10. Chronic alcohol use can cause an overall reduction in brain size.
#11. Youth 12-20 were more likely on a per capita basis than adults to have seen 66,218 alcohol ads, a 30% increase over 2001.
#12. Spending for alcohol ads on T.V. by the alcohol industry grew by 22%, to more than $990 million in 2002.
#13. One third of all twelfth graders have been drunk in the past 30 days.
#14. Nearly four out of every five students (77%) have consumed alcohol by the end of high school.
#15. In terms of size, students at smaller colleges tend to drink more than students at larger schools.
#16. One third of homicides are associated with alcohol misuse.
#17. One half of car accidents are associated with alcohol misuse.
#18. Alcohol and drug abuse are factors in the placement of more than three-quarters of children entering foster care.
#19. Alcohol is the #1 misused drug in the U.S.
#20. Deaths from alcohol use highest for black males, though white males are more likely to drink.
Information:
You may hear that it will loosen you up and help you relax. What you may not hear is that it can damage the part of your brain that controls coordination, memory, judgment and decision-making. Straight up, drinking makes you dumber—you may slur your words and lose coordination, and your reactions will become slower.
If you drink a lot and drink fast (binge drinking) you really put yourself in danger. With binge drinking, the depressant (or dumbing) effects of alcohol can overwhelm the body's defenses. Unable to move and think clearly, you can do stupid, risky and reckless things that are unsafe, or even lethal. Each year, approximately 5,000 people under the age of 21 die as a result of underage drinking. This includes about 1,900 deaths from car accidents, 1,600 homicides, 300 suicides, and hundreds of other deaths due to accidents like falls, burns and drownings.
More than 2 million Americans suffer from alcohol-related liver disease. Some drinkers develop alcoholic hepatitis, or inflammation of the liver, as a result of long-term heavy drinking. Its symptoms include fever, jaundice (abnormal yellowing of the skin, eyeballs, and urine), and abdominal pain. Alcoholic hepatitis can cause death if drinking continues. If drinking stops, this condition often is reversible. About 10 to 20 percent of heavy drinkers develop alcoholic cirrhosis, or scarring of the liver. Alcoholic cirrhosis can cause death if drinking continues. Although cirrhosis is not reversible, if drinking stops, one's chances of survival improve considerably. Those with cirrhosis often feel better, and the functioning of their liver may improve, if they stop drinking. Although liver transplantation may be needed as a last resort, many people with cirrhosis who abstain from alcohol may never need liver transplantation. In addition, treatment for the complications of cirrhosis is available.
If you are a pregnant woman or one who is trying to conceive, you can prevent alcohol-related birth defects by not drinking alcohol during your pregnancy. Alcohol can cause a range of birth defects, the most serious being fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). Children born with alcohol-related birth defects can have lifelong learning and behavior problems. Those born with FAS have physical abnormalities, mental impairment, and behavior problems. Because scientists do not know exactly how much alcohol it takes to cause alcohol-related birth defects, it is best not to drink any alcohol during this time. For more information about FAS, please red our Fetal Alcohol Syndrome article.
Alcohol interacts negatively with more than 150 medications. For example, if you are taking antihistamines for a cold or allergy and drink alcohol, the alcohol will increase the drowsiness that the medication alone can cause, making driving or operating machinery even more hazardous. And if you are taking large doses of the painkiller acetaminophen and drinking alcohol, you are risking serious liver damage. Check with your doctor or pharmacist before drinking any amount of alcohol if you are taking any over-the-counter or prescription medications.
Myths:
Myth
Alcohol destroys brain cells.
Fact
The moderate consumption of alcohol does not destroy brain cells. In fact it is often associated with improved cognitive (mental) functioning.
Myth
A "beer belly" is caused by drinking beer.
Fact
A "beer belly" is caused by eating too much food. No beer or other alcohol beverage is necessary.
Myth
Drinking coffee will help a drunk person sober up.
Fact
Only time can sober up a person...not black coffee, cold showers, exercise, or any other common "cures." Alcohol leaves the body of virtually everyone at a constant rate of about .015 percent of blood alcohol content (BAC) per hour. Thus, a person with a BAC of .015 would be completely sober in an hour while a person with a BAC of ten times that (. 15) would require 10 hours to become completely sober. This is true regardless of sex, age, weight, and similar factors.
Myth
Drinking alcohol causes weight gain.
Fact
This is a very commonly believed myth, even among medical professionals, because alcohol has caloric value. However, extensive research around the world has found alcohol consumption be does not cause weight gain in men and is often associated with a small weight loss in women.
Myth
Alcohol stunts the growth of children and retards their development.
Fact
Scientific medical research does not support this old temperance scare tactic promoted by the Women's Christian Temperance Union, the Anti-Saloon League, the Prohibition Party, and similar groups.
Myth
The US has very lenient underage drinking laws.
Fact
The US has the most strict youth drinking laws in the Western world, including the highest minimum drinking age in the entire world. 17 And this is buttressed by a public policy of Zero Tolerance.
Myth
People in the US are generally heavy consumers of alcohol.
Fact
The US isn't even among the top ten alcohol consuming countries. Top 10 Alcohol Consuming Countries on per capita Basis Country / Consumption in Gallons of absolute or pure alcohol: At a consumption rate of only 1.74 per person, the US falls far down at 32nd on the list.
Myth
People who abstain from alcohol are "alcohol-free."
Fact
Every person produces alcohol normally in the body 24 hours each and every day from birth until death. Therefore, we always have alcohol in our bodies.
Myth
People who can "hold their liquor" are to be envied.
Fact
People who can drink heavily without becoming intoxicated have probably developed a tolerance for alcohol, which can indicate the onset of dependency.
Myth
Although not totally incorrect, but certainly not the whole truth, is the assertion that the younger children are when they have their first drink the more likely they are to experience drinking problems.
Fact
Generally speaking, people who on their own begin drinking either much earlier or much later than their peers begin are more likely to experience subsequent drinking problems. 27 This appears to result from the fact that either behavior tends to reflect a tendency to be deviant. Therefore, delaying the age of first drink would not influence the incidence of drinking problems because it would not change the underlying predisposition to be deviant and to experience drinking problems. 28 And, of course, children who are taught moderation by their parents are less likely to abuse alcohol or have drinking problems.
Now I would like to hear from the community on your opinions on the subject. Remember, stay mature and provide sources for any claimed facts.
Stay mature.
Don't argue, debate.
Provide facts and cite yourself.
I will start us off by giving some facts as to why I believe, myself, that alcohol should be completely out-lawed and labeled as a criminal substance.
Facts:
#1. College students spend more on alcohol than on textbooks.
#2. Alcohol is a depressant.
#3. Alcohol-related accidents are the #1 killer of teens.
#4. 1.4 million teens a year are injured in some way through an alcohol related accident.
#5. Up to 2/3 of date rape cases involve alcohol.
#6. Binge drinking can lead to permanent brain damage; coma, then death, can happen in less than an hour.
#7. 8% of all ER visits each year for illness or injuries are associated with alcohol
#8. Excessive drinking can decrease the amount of testosterone in a man's body and cause impotence.
#9. Birth control pills slow down the rate at which alcohol is eliminated from the body.
#10. Chronic alcohol use can cause an overall reduction in brain size.
#11. Youth 12-20 were more likely on a per capita basis than adults to have seen 66,218 alcohol ads, a 30% increase over 2001.
#12. Spending for alcohol ads on T.V. by the alcohol industry grew by 22%, to more than $990 million in 2002.
#13. One third of all twelfth graders have been drunk in the past 30 days.
#14. Nearly four out of every five students (77%) have consumed alcohol by the end of high school.
#15. In terms of size, students at smaller colleges tend to drink more than students at larger schools.
#16. One third of homicides are associated with alcohol misuse.
#17. One half of car accidents are associated with alcohol misuse.
#18. Alcohol and drug abuse are factors in the placement of more than three-quarters of children entering foster care.
#19. Alcohol is the #1 misused drug in the U.S.
#20. Deaths from alcohol use highest for black males, though white males are more likely to drink.
Information:
You may hear that it will loosen you up and help you relax. What you may not hear is that it can damage the part of your brain that controls coordination, memory, judgment and decision-making. Straight up, drinking makes you dumber—you may slur your words and lose coordination, and your reactions will become slower.
If you drink a lot and drink fast (binge drinking) you really put yourself in danger. With binge drinking, the depressant (or dumbing) effects of alcohol can overwhelm the body's defenses. Unable to move and think clearly, you can do stupid, risky and reckless things that are unsafe, or even lethal. Each year, approximately 5,000 people under the age of 21 die as a result of underage drinking. This includes about 1,900 deaths from car accidents, 1,600 homicides, 300 suicides, and hundreds of other deaths due to accidents like falls, burns and drownings.
More than 2 million Americans suffer from alcohol-related liver disease. Some drinkers develop alcoholic hepatitis, or inflammation of the liver, as a result of long-term heavy drinking. Its symptoms include fever, jaundice (abnormal yellowing of the skin, eyeballs, and urine), and abdominal pain. Alcoholic hepatitis can cause death if drinking continues. If drinking stops, this condition often is reversible. About 10 to 20 percent of heavy drinkers develop alcoholic cirrhosis, or scarring of the liver. Alcoholic cirrhosis can cause death if drinking continues. Although cirrhosis is not reversible, if drinking stops, one's chances of survival improve considerably. Those with cirrhosis often feel better, and the functioning of their liver may improve, if they stop drinking. Although liver transplantation may be needed as a last resort, many people with cirrhosis who abstain from alcohol may never need liver transplantation. In addition, treatment for the complications of cirrhosis is available.
If you are a pregnant woman or one who is trying to conceive, you can prevent alcohol-related birth defects by not drinking alcohol during your pregnancy. Alcohol can cause a range of birth defects, the most serious being fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). Children born with alcohol-related birth defects can have lifelong learning and behavior problems. Those born with FAS have physical abnormalities, mental impairment, and behavior problems. Because scientists do not know exactly how much alcohol it takes to cause alcohol-related birth defects, it is best not to drink any alcohol during this time. For more information about FAS, please red our Fetal Alcohol Syndrome article.
Alcohol interacts negatively with more than 150 medications. For example, if you are taking antihistamines for a cold or allergy and drink alcohol, the alcohol will increase the drowsiness that the medication alone can cause, making driving or operating machinery even more hazardous. And if you are taking large doses of the painkiller acetaminophen and drinking alcohol, you are risking serious liver damage. Check with your doctor or pharmacist before drinking any amount of alcohol if you are taking any over-the-counter or prescription medications.
Myths:
Myth
Alcohol destroys brain cells.
Fact
The moderate consumption of alcohol does not destroy brain cells. In fact it is often associated with improved cognitive (mental) functioning.
Myth
A "beer belly" is caused by drinking beer.
Fact
A "beer belly" is caused by eating too much food. No beer or other alcohol beverage is necessary.
Myth
Drinking coffee will help a drunk person sober up.
Fact
Only time can sober up a person...not black coffee, cold showers, exercise, or any other common "cures." Alcohol leaves the body of virtually everyone at a constant rate of about .015 percent of blood alcohol content (BAC) per hour. Thus, a person with a BAC of .015 would be completely sober in an hour while a person with a BAC of ten times that (. 15) would require 10 hours to become completely sober. This is true regardless of sex, age, weight, and similar factors.
Myth
Drinking alcohol causes weight gain.
Fact
This is a very commonly believed myth, even among medical professionals, because alcohol has caloric value. However, extensive research around the world has found alcohol consumption be does not cause weight gain in men and is often associated with a small weight loss in women.
Myth
Alcohol stunts the growth of children and retards their development.
Fact
Scientific medical research does not support this old temperance scare tactic promoted by the Women's Christian Temperance Union, the Anti-Saloon League, the Prohibition Party, and similar groups.
Myth
The US has very lenient underage drinking laws.
Fact
The US has the most strict youth drinking laws in the Western world, including the highest minimum drinking age in the entire world. 17 And this is buttressed by a public policy of Zero Tolerance.
Myth
People in the US are generally heavy consumers of alcohol.
Fact
The US isn't even among the top ten alcohol consuming countries. Top 10 Alcohol Consuming Countries on per capita Basis Country / Consumption in Gallons of absolute or pure alcohol: At a consumption rate of only 1.74 per person, the US falls far down at 32nd on the list.
Myth
People who abstain from alcohol are "alcohol-free."
Fact
Every person produces alcohol normally in the body 24 hours each and every day from birth until death. Therefore, we always have alcohol in our bodies.
Myth
People who can "hold their liquor" are to be envied.
Fact
People who can drink heavily without becoming intoxicated have probably developed a tolerance for alcohol, which can indicate the onset of dependency.
Myth
Although not totally incorrect, but certainly not the whole truth, is the assertion that the younger children are when they have their first drink the more likely they are to experience drinking problems.
Fact
Generally speaking, people who on their own begin drinking either much earlier or much later than their peers begin are more likely to experience subsequent drinking problems. 27 This appears to result from the fact that either behavior tends to reflect a tendency to be deviant. Therefore, delaying the age of first drink would not influence the incidence of drinking problems because it would not change the underlying predisposition to be deviant and to experience drinking problems. 28 And, of course, children who are taught moderation by their parents are less likely to abuse alcohol or have drinking problems.
Now I would like to hear from the community on your opinions on the subject. Remember, stay mature and provide sources for any claimed facts.