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1. I don’t have a
problem with alcohol. Why do I need this program?
We think that everyone can benefit from DrinkRight:
If You Drink Alcohol, Drink Wisely! - a
nonjudgmental educational program. It is not intended for individuals with
alcohol-related disease or addiction; nor is its aim to encourage anyone to
consume beer, wine, or distilled spirits. Rather, its goal is to help
individuals and communities, companies and academic institutions resolve one
of our society’s most significant health and safety dilemmas - untimely
and/or inappropriate consumption of alcoholic beverages.
Alcohol has been referred to as the “nectar of the gods” that can enhance
health, relaxation, pleasure or social interaction. At appropriate times and
places, it may be okay for some people to loosen up after a drink or two,
but losing consciousness, wellness, freedom, driver’s license, or worse yet,
a life are simply not acceptable.
This program, based on scientific information and generally accepted
educational principles, provides a foundation from which you or someone you
love can make well informed decisions on whether or not to consume alcohol,
as well as what, when and how much. By learning the skills for drinking
alcohol wisely one can learn to enjoy alcohol’s many benefits while avoiding
the risks.
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2. How can effective alcohol education
prevent alcohol related problems?
In every society there needs to be laws, regulations or rules that guide
and protect its people. In our community, driving under the influence,
underage drinking, violence, and other alcohol related incidents should not
be tolerated. In addition to the legal statutes and enforcement programs,
education is the ultimate resource to help prevent alcohol related problems.
Typical alcohol education has been a mixture of the medical model for
alcoholism intervention and the conviction that alcohol is evil.
These efforts have limited effectiveness because alcoholism is not
the sole or even primary cause of most alcohol related personal and social
damage. In schools, we bemoan the horrors of “demon rum” with
a “just say no because I said so” position. Pious platitudes or gruesome
horror stories are far from true education. Successful education is measured
by learning, that is, acquiring the knowledge and skills and developing the
motivation that collectively produce a desired behavior.
At the proper time, sufficient amount and appropriate
location, reasonable and responsible alcohol consumption can be quite
pleasurable
and provides a number of benefits for most adults. We must fully
understand alcohol and how it affects the body so that it may be used wisely
and properly.
In a number of ways, alcohol is a lot like fire. Among
fire’s many benefits it can cook our food, heat our homes, but fire can also
cause physical and emotional pain, disfiguring scars and death. Fortunately,
one need not suffer a serious burn to learn of fire’s dangers. We can make
use of it, but to enjoy fire’s benefits, we must first respect it and above
all control it.
The same can be said of the substance the Indians call “fire water.” At
the appropriate time, amount and place, alcohol certainly has many benefits
for the body and spirit. Alcohol can cause terrible suffering too -
disfiguring careers, hopes and dreams and it can kill. Like fire, we need
not be burned by alcohol to learn to respect it and control it.
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3. What do you mean by drink alcohol
wisely?
Alcohol is not essential to life and health as are oxygen, water and
nutrients. For many people, drinking alcohol can be a legitimate and
enjoyable part of diet and lifestyle. For those who chose to do so, safe,
and reasonable use of alcoholic beverages can certainly add to relaxation,
pleasure, celebration social interaction and health.
The choice to drink or not drink is ultimately a matter of personal
“response ability.” To avoid risking serious illness, regrettable behavior
or disastrous consequences, everyone who chooses to drink alcoholic
beverages, must do so only at the Right TAP:
the proper TIME |
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a sufficient AMOUNT |
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an appropriate PLACE |
To avoid alcohol’s negative consequences everyone needs to “Just say
KNOW:”
Knowledge of the chemical and its effects
Never drink
beyond the tolerance or pleasure limit
Only drink with
food in the stomach
Water after every
alcoholic beverage |
With this knowledge, you can make sound decisions regarding alcoholic
beverage consumption that responds with the ability to ENJOY:
Eliminate the negative effects
Never drink then drive or work
Just know the facts about alcohol
Optimize pleasure and benefits
You
make the choice! |
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4. Why can
drinking alcohol be dangerous?
The principal dangers associated with alcoholic beverage consumption come
from two biological realities:
1. Alcohol (regardless of its form- beer, wine or distilled spirits) is a
toxic drug
2. It is primarily the human liver that must remove alcohol from the body
Alcohol is derived from the decomposition and fermentation (basically
rotting) of biological products. Whatever we choose to call the process,
when fruits or grains decay, they produce toxins. Consequently, alcohol is a
poison, but so are blue cheese, yogurt, and penicillin. When the body
exceeds the advantageous levels of these compounds their toxins accumulate
and cause mental and or physical illness.
Unlike most other ingested substances, as alcohol enters the stomach, 20%
is immediately absorbed in the blood stream. The remaining 80% enters the
circulatory system from the small intestine. Its immediate effect is on
brain chemistry and function that has earned alcohol its classification as a
brain-altering drug. In fact, alcohol continues to be the most frequently
used recreational drug in the world.
For most people, alcohol’s effect on the brain produces a sense of
well-being, comfort and/or pleasure. Consumed in moderate amounts, it can
also produce social relaxation, and reduce public awkwardness by blocking
inhibitions and leaving people more open to conversation and laughter. It
accomplishes this state of feeling good by affecting the higher levels of
brain function such as logic and sound reasoning. Maximum pleasure can reach
a satiation point or plateau but negative effects on the mind and body
continue to worsen as excessive alcohol is consumed and intoxication occurs.
When ingested in surplus of an individual’s optimal pleasure level
or biological ability, some of the toxic effects - poor judgment, diminished
personal values, loss of free will and lowered personal defenses - can lead
to regrettable behavior.
The physical toxic effects of one too many can be no less
insidious than the mental impairment suffered by the over imbiber. Impaired
coordination, reflexes and perception are at the root of countless motor
vehicle accidents as well as numerous slips, falls, and other mishaps
resulting in incalculable personal injuries and premature deaths.
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6. Can I continue drinking alcohol as long
as my BAC is below the legal limit?
No. BAC is a limit. Not a goal! There is little
direct correlation of BAC measurement to subjective pleasure level. In fact,
well within legal BAC limits, most drinkers who “feel no pain” no longer
feel good either. The only time that BAC matters is when there are red or
blue lights flashing in a vehicle’s rear view mirror or when there is a
random, post-accident or for cause breath or blood test at a workplace.
Alcohol impairs judgment, even with a
BAC below the legal limit, making it difficult to assess one’s coordination,
reflexes and perception. Accordingly, it is best never to drink
then drive.
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8. What is
considered to be a “standard” drink?
According to the U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services a "standard"
drink is:
One 12-ounce beer
One 5-ounce wine
One 1.5 ounce of 80-proof spirits
One 1.0 ounce of 100-proof spirits |
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10. How can I
enjoy the benefits while avoiding the risks of drinking alcohol?
In order to enhance its positive effects and avoid its negative
consequences, those who choose to use alcohol and have no legal, physical or
other impediments to the contrary, need to know how and when to drink and
where it is appropriate.
Those who consume alcoholic beverages with their meals or as a part of
their lifestyle need to follow a few simple guidelines:
Set a limit based on personal pleasure and biological ability before
having the first drink. The suggested limit is generally no more
than one drink a day for women and two drinks a day for men. Once a
drinker goes beyond the point of pleasure or the body’s capability,
he or she risks incurring significant health and safety
consequences.
Never drink
alcohol on an empty stomach. Eating something first slows the rate
of alcohol absorption into the blood stream and prolongs the
beneficial effects.
Drink a glass of
water after each alcoholic beverage. This helps counter the
dehydration caused by alcohol and can prevent over drinking.
Drink slowly and
savor the flavor. This prevents a slow down of liver function and
back up of toxins in the brain and other parts of the body.
Never drink then
drive or operate machinery. Even in moderate amounts, alcohol can
affect coordination, reflexes, perception and judgment.
Having a designated driver is a wonderful idea but NOT a license to
drink till you drop. Stick to your plan for optimal benefit and
pleasure.
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