Most recently I met with a man at a book signing event whom told me that my book on alcohol and youth was most meaningful to him and his family.
He related that he used the book a lot with his three adolescents to explain what alcohol is all about, and the consequences of its abuse by youth.
He related that, “I was surprised that they knew so little about the subject that I thought they would be taught more about it in the schools. I just want them to know the truths should they think about drinking.”
This led me to thinking, “Are there still a lot of youth and their families who do not know the basics of alcohol, alcohol abuse, and alcoholism?”
As school will be letting out soon, and there will be many youth who have completed their 12 long years of education … on to university studies, to technical training, or just entering the workforce; there will be celebrations to mark their events. Unfortunately for some, the abuse of alcohol will take place as a part of their celebration.
Alcohol abuse and alcoholism remain a major problem in our society, especially detrimental toward our youth.
According to data from national surveys of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, clearly of the more than 150 million individuals who consume alcohol, over 10 million of those are under the age of 20 … with very few exceptions (ie. Religious rites) it is illegal for them to drink alcohol beverages.
By the senior year of high school, 80 percent of the students reported that they had used alcohol, 62 percent reported they had experienced being drunk, and 6.9 million reported binge drinking. One in every five teenagers experienced problems relative to alcohol. Up to 24 percent of teens nationwide reported that alcohol abuse is a tremendous problem in their own schools.
On an average day, more than 7,540 children ages 12-17 will drink alcohol for the first time. Alcohol is responsible for 88,000 deaths in the United States annually, and alcoholism is the third leading lifestyle related cause of death in the nation.
How did our nation get to where it is at with alcohol problems? The answers lie in the understanding of alcohol itself; what it is and the affects it has on humans when consumed … back to the basics … back to the truths.
Alcohol is a chemical substance made up of the elements carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. There is more than one alcohol; there is a whole series of alcohols.
Methyl alcohol (methanol) is made from wood products; ethyl alcohol (ethanol) comes from grains and fruits; propyl alcohol (propanol) a product of propane; butyl alcohol (butanol) comes from butane gas; and amyl alcohol (amatol or pentanol) is derived from a byproduct called fusel oil.
The only alcohol in the series suitable for drinking is ethyl alcohol, or ethanol, although all alcohols are poisonous to humans when reached a saturation point.
Alcohol is an intoxicating chemical derived from fermentation of yeast, sugars, and starches; or distillation of either edible fruit or vegetable matter. Ethyl alcohol is a colorless, flammable liquid with a sharp, burning taste. It dries out the mucous membranes in the mouth and throat; and is not generally consumed in its pure form; being mixed with other consumables to lessen the harsh affects, such as with fruit juices, soft drinks; and in case of beer, hops.
Ethanol is a central nervous system depressant drug, never a stimulant as some believe. It is also a coolant that lowers the internal temperature of a person causing the body heat to escape through the skin.
For as long as there have been humans on earth there has probably been alcohol. No one knows precisely when alcohol was discovered. When teaching classes on chemical dependency I would often present the following scenario to my students: imagine if you will the ancient cave dwellers storing berries they had picked in the back of their cave shelter during the winter time.
Come spring they discovered that the berries, stored in that dank part of the cave, had fermented (a natural process in which yeast, molds or bacteria form and convert sugar into ethyl alcohol), and turned to liquid and thus forming an alcohol beverage.
Archaeological evidence tells us the ancient Egyptians were brewing beer from barley grain 3000 years ago. Early Mesoamerican peoples (probably early Mayans) began making alcohol beverage (pulque) from the Maguey plant about the same time. In ancient Asia, there is evidence of those peoples making a form of rice beer thousands of years ago.
Soon after wine was discovered and began being produced. About the year 1500 distillation processes were discovered in Europe and man began making whiskeys and other distilled spirits.
Alcohol has always been associated with rites of passage such as graduations, social occasions, weddings, sporting events, “spring break” activities and events, and parties. Over the years such events have been glamorized and enhanced by the media. Advertisements of beach parties, beautiful couples drinking, the pleasures of love and romance; all have contributed to increased alcohol consumption.
Although ethyl alcohol is a poisonous chemical, peoples throughout the world continue to consume it; millions of gallons per year, and managed to be responsible of its use and consequences for the most part. It has often been proven that drinking a lot of alcohol over a short period of time can lead to sudden death, such as in the case of “chugging.”
There is a lot more harm that alcohol can do, such as preventing the liver from performing its normal metabolic functions, destroying brain cells, affect the normal operation of muscles, including the heart, and the kidneys. It can cause vision problems.
It can damage sexual and reproductive functioning. Alcohol is especially dangerous for young people as their body tissues are not fully formed, and the alcohol impedes their normal growth and development. Additionally, youth are most likely to lose control while drinking because their behavior patterns and personalities are still developing.
In Part 2, next week’s article, we shall take a look at alcohol abuse and alcoholism. Until Next time Stay Healthy My Friends!
