Alcohol is a widely known substance and is found all over the world. In the modern world, alcohol is synonymous with celebration and is often used as a gift to one another. So, what exactly is alcohol? Let us dive into the world of alcohol to know about it more deeply.
Alcohol is specifically ethanol and it is the driving chemical behind all alcoholic beverages. It is also the substance that induces the state of being drunk. Alcohol has many uses and just as many side effects. This is why it is important to understand the full extent of the impact that alcohol has on the human body as well as society in general.
Impact
Alcohol consumption affects all people irrespective of the age group. Globally, alcohol misuse is the seventh-leading risk factor for premature death and disability including accidents due to drunk driving. So, the question is, what makes alcohol abuse so lethal? Alcohol, according to research, is known to be a powerful depressant when consumed in sufficient quantities. This means that it can reduce the amount of anxiety one feels. The driving ingredient ethanol, alters the function of the brain leading a person to drink more and more of it.
Alcohol works by depressing the central nervous system as well as parts of the brain which can cause effects such as speech slurring, lack of judgment, poor reaction time, confusion and even death in some extreme cases. Combining these effects and driving- you have one of the leading causes of death on the roads. In Australia, this can range anywhere from 30-50% of total accidents recorded. The power of influence that alcohol has on the brain is the prime reason for its use and the cause of so many negative impacts as well.
Depending on what stage of development you’re in, alcohol can have mild to very serious effects on brain development. For children under the age of 10 alcohol should be nowhere near them as it can pose a substantial risk of irreversible brain damage. Continuing into adolescence, although the effects will not be as severe as in childhood, it can still harm brain development and have long-term consequences. After about 40 years of age, the same amount of alcohol can have magnified effects and may pose many health risks.
Rules and Regulations
But it is not to say that alcohol is always dangerous. If used moderately then it is a great tool to have a little bit of fun with. So, what is the appropriate way to consume alcohol? In both industry and law, there is a set unit of measurement for how much alcohol has been consumed. These units are called “standard drinks” and it is always defined as 10g of pure alcohol being equivalent to one standard drink.
Then there is BAC also known as Blood Alcohol Concentration, which is used by police over the world to judge whether someone is truly in an inebriated state. One standard drink raises the BAC by 0.02%. In Australia, you are considered legally drunk if your BAC touches 0.05% or more. Now different countries have varying laws about alcohol. So, checking the law of the land can be helpful before you start popping the bottle.
Disease and Death
Alcohol is also the enabler of premature death. According to the World Health Organization, about 3 million people worldwide die directly due to alcohol every year. This in total represents 5.3% of all deaths in a particular year. It also enables many health risks to take hold much quicker than under normal circumstances. Things such as high blood pressure, stroke and liver disease are very prevalent due to alcohol abuse. Alcohol is also the catalyst for cancer. Areas such as the throat, mouth, esophagus, liver and rectum are all easily prone to diseases due to alcohol abuse. This makes alcohol a very prominent factor in dictating an individual’s well-being. This is also the reason why there are strict laws to regulate alcohol usage.
Dependency
While alcohol is legal, it replicates the habit-forming effect of any other drug available in the market. Alcohol can breed a strong addiction when it becomes overused. Alcohol’s main ingredient ethanol can cause the triggering of the brain’s pleasure-reward system due to the “relieving” effects it has. Soon, it causes the individual to rely on it to get that reward and tolerances start to build up. This causes them to take larger doses which may eventually lead to overdose. Of course, alcohol dependencies can be influenced by so much more than just drinking itself. Factors such as the current state of well-being of the individual, what social circles they are a part of, quantity v/s time ratio, etc, affect the relation one has with alcohol. This is how alcohol grows a grip on the human conscience and people start misusing it.
Conclusion
Alcohol has had a long history with humans and isn’t going anywhere for the foreseeable future. Humans have taken it and mass-produced it as an everyday commodity. There is a massive business around alcohol as well.
We’ve seen the power of alcohol, we’ve seen the consequences of alcohol and we’ve seen the efforts that are made to stave off the grip that alcohol has on society. Alcohol will continue to stay as ALCOHOL and it is up to us humans what kind of a relationship, we build with it.
According to chemistry, alcohol is merely a solution, but we need to remember that, it is also the cause of many problems.
Writer: Ethan
Grade: 11 (Year 2024)
Place: Sydney, Australia
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