Alcohol
alcohol- Wine
- Whiskey
- Vodka
- Spirits
- Rum
- Cider
- Champagne
- Brandy
- Drink
- Bevvy
- Booze
- Beer
- Ale
- Ethyl Alcohol
- Ethanol
Scientific Names: Ethanol, Ethyl Alcohol
Generic Names: Alcohol
You cannot always be sure that what you buy is what you get, but if you want to send any substance
off for testing, you can send it to WEDINOS
Liquid of varying strength, from 2.8% (mild beer) to 40% (spirits). Ethanol is a solvent used in paints, perfumes & colognes, it is also used in marker pens and deodorants.
Desired Effects:
The effects are very much dependent on the dose taken. Alcohol is a depressant drug that can make people feel relaxed and de-stressed. The first few drinks can act as a stimulant and increase sociability and disinhibition (which can be both good and bad). In larger doses, alcohol leads to sedation and stupor, which some people enjoy or use to block out the world/painful feelings.Side Effects:
- Loss of coordination
- Slurred speech
- Blurred vision
- Muddled thinking.
- Nausea and vomiting are common with higher doses.
- Alcohol affects our judgment and sense of right and wrong. It increases risk-taking behaviour (which for some is part of its attraction).
- Drinking too much, known as being drunk, can leave you vulnerable, more argumentative, more likely to become aggressive and for some leads to violence.
- When the alcohol has worn off, you will be dehydrated, have a headache, and feel and nauseous. This is known as a hangover.>
- Alcohol is a dangerous and addictive drug.
- Don't be pressured by others into drinking or getting drunk.
- It has become more common for young people to choose not to drink alcohol.
- There are numerous 0% or low alcohol options or alternatives available if you are with other people who are drinking alcohol.
- If you do drink, try not to do it too regularly. Ensure you have days during the week when you don’t drink.
- Drinking on an empty stomach can cause you to become more drunk more quickly because the alcohol will get into your bloodstream and brain faster; so, it is best to eat a meal before or with your drink.
- Try to pace your drinking by having water or a soft drink between alcoholic drinks. This will give your liver a bit more time to process the alcohol and you won't feel as dehydrated.
- If you're out with friends avoid drinking in rounds as it can be easy to lose track of what you're drinking.
- Don't be forced into drinking too quickly or get involved in drinking games.
- Don't mix your drinks, stick to one type of drink. Mixing drinks can make you more drunk and more likely to vomit.
- Don’t mix alcohol and other drugs.
- Don't leave your drink unattended and always make sure you watch your drink being opened/poured; this will avoid someone spiking it.
- Make sure you know how you're getting home before you leave the pub/club.
- When you get home drink some water to help rehydrate your body and dilute the alcohol in your bloodstream.
- Look after your friends if they are drunk and vulnerable. If someone becomes un unconsciousness - put them in the recovery position and call for medical assistance immediately.
Short term risks
Overdose, accidents (drunk-driving). Unconsciousness, coma, death.
Desired risks
Mild intoxication, cheerfulness, sociability
Long term risks
Dependence, withdrawal symptoms, significant permanent damage to the brain and other organs (heart, liver, stomach) that can be fatal.
Long term risks:
- Long term excessive alcohol use is extremely damaging to the brain and organs of the body (liver, heart, stomach etc). In the UK nearly 10,000 people a year die from alcohol related causes.
- Long term alcohol use can lead to dependency.
- For some people who are dependent on alcohol, stopping use without medical assistance can be fatal.
Short term risks:
- Accidents
- Loss of control
- Unconsciousness, and vulnerability.
- Arguments and fights are far more likely when people have been drinking.
- If you drive after drinking or get into a car with someone who has been drinking, there is a risk of accidents and serious injury or death to you and others.
- At high doses alcohol can be poisonous, it can lead to overdose, and in some cases death. Pregnant women are advised not to drink at all, as there is a risk to the baby.
Psychoactive central nervous system depressant, sedative.
Alcohol is usually sold as a liquid, although it can appear in novelty forms such as a powder (known as ‘Palcohol’) or as a vapour that is inhaled from a balloon. Traditional alcohol is brewed or fermented in the form of beer, cider or wine or distilled into a stronger form to make spirits like Whiskey, Gin, and Vodka. Alcohol is either sold by the glass or in bottles, cans and in the case of some cheap wines, in a plastic pouch. Alcoholic drinks come in varying potencies, (known as Alcohol by Volume or ABV) from 2.8% in mild beer to 40% in spirits. Industrial alcohol, known as ethanol, has numerous uses such as a solvent used in paints or as the main ingredient of perfumes and hand sanitizers.
Alcohol is usually sold as a liquid, although it can appear in novelty forms such as a powder (known as ‘Palcohol’) or as a vapour that is inhaled from a balloon. Traditional alcohol is brewed or fermented in the form of beer, cider or wine or distilled into a stronger form to make spirits like Whiskey, Gin, and Vodka. Alcohol is either sold by the glass or in bottles, cans and in the case of some cheap wines, in a plastic pouch. Alcoholic drinks come in varying potencies, (known as Alcohol by Volume or ABV) from 2.8% in mild beer to 40% in spirits. Industrial alcohol, known as ethanol, has numerous uses such as a solvent used in paints or as the main ingredient of perfumes and hand sanitizers.
- You can be stopped, fined, or arrested by police if you’re under 18 and drinking alcohol in public.
- If you’re under 18, it’s against the law: for someone to sell you alcohol; to buy or try to buy alcohol; for an adult to buy or try to buy alcohol for you; to drink alcohol in licensed premises (such as a pub or restaurant).
- If you’re 16 or 17 and accompanied by an adult, you can drink (but not buy) beer, wine, or cider with a meal. If you’re 16 or under, you may be able to go to a pub (or premises primarily used to sell alcohol) if you’re accompanied by an adult.
- It’s illegal to give alcohol to children under 5.
- You could be imprisoned, banned from driving, and face a fine if you’re found guilty of drink-driving.
- Businesses, organisations, and individuals who want to sell or supply alcohol in England and Wales, including websites, must have a licence or other authorisation from a licensing authority - usually a local council.
- Although it often seems that alcohol can be brought 24 hours a day for 365 days a year, early morning alcohol restriction orders (EMRO) can enable a licensing authority to prohibit the sale of alcohol for a specified time between the hours of 12am and 6am in the whole or part of its area.
- The Public Health (Minimum Price for Alcohol) (Wales) Act 2018 was implemented on 2 March 2020.This law applies to all businesses, organisations and persons required to hold a license for alcohol.
- Any retailer who sells or supplies, or authorises the sale or supply of, alcohol below the minimum price will be breaking the law and could be fined. The Act includes a formula for how Minimum Unit pricing (MUP) is calculated. This formula is made up of the MUP (50p), the percentage strength of the alcohol and its volume.
Usually drunk as a liquid, can be eaten in food and novelty ways include inhaling as a gas.
Pumps, bottles, glasses.
In the medical industry alcohol is used in antiseptic wipes and in most common antibacterial hand sanitiser gels.
- Alcoholic drinks are produced in distilleries and breweries throughout Britain and the world.
- Alcoholic drinks such as beer, cider and wine are made by a process called fermentation. The natural sugars produced from grains, fruit, grapes etc are broken down and converted by yeast into alcohol (ethanol). Some beers and wines have sugar added to increase the strength of the final drink, but the strength of fermented alcohol is limited to about 15% for beer and 19% for wine.
- Fermented alcohol can be distilled, by heating the alcohol to create a vapor and then condensing it back into a liquid again. These are known as spirits and include whiskey, gin, rum and vodka.
- Industrial alcohol, known as Ethanol, can be produced from the gas ethylene which is usually made from petrol or natural gas
Most areas of the UK have alcohol services or community alcohol projects, these may be services that provide support for all types of drug problems including specialsit alcohol workers. They offer a range of services including information and advice, counselling, and sometimes support groups and complementary therapies such as acupuncture. Some services have extended working hours and may offer weekend support. If use of this substance becomes a problem you can seek help, advice and counselling from a service in your area. GPs can make referrals to specialist alcohol and drug services. Hospital based in-patient detoxification units and out-patient units are available for alcohol dependence. There are also community based Councils on Alcohol, Community Alcohol Teams and self-help groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) which is a 12 Step abstinence based support group.
Parents & other relatives
Many alcohol / drug agencies also provide lots of advice and support to parents, family members and partners of people using alcohol. They may provide relative support groups or advice, guidance and counselling on a one to one basis. Al-Anon is a support service for anyone who has been affected by someone elses drinking.
