Present in beer, wine, mixed drinks and a variety of other beverages, alcohol seems to be everywhere. It is offered and consumed at religious, social and other celebratory events around the world. Many people do not think of alcohol as a drug. However, alcohol is a drug that affects the body in various ways, depending on the dose. Small amounts can have a stimulant effect, while larger amounts act as depressants – similar to a sedative or even a hypnotic drug. Alcohol can lead to lack of coordination and personality changes. Like other drugs, excessive amounts of alcohol make the heart work harder and can lead to coma or death.

Blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is the amount of alcohol present in a person’s bloodstream. It is determined by the speed of consumption as well as the drinker’s gender, weight, build and metabolism. As the BAC increases, the brain and spinal cord central system nervous show progressively less activity. A BAC of 50 mg/dL (milligrams per deciliter) of blood, for example, usually leads to a state of mild intoxication. A BAC of 100 to 150 leads to slurring, loss of balance and other signs of intoxication in most people. Coma is likely at a BAC of 350, and death will probably occur at 500.

Through a process called oxidation, alcohol is detoxified and removed from the blood. The higher the blood alcohol concentration (BAC), the longer this process takes and the longer normal bodily function and activity are affected. Alcohol is metabolized (broken down) from the body more slowly than it is absorbed. That means that the more an individual drinks, the harder the metabolism works to break it down so the body can absorb it before intoxication and even poisoning can occur.

In the average adult, 8.5 grams of alcohol are metabolized in the body per hour. The effects of alcohol are also influenced by an individual’s mental and emotional state, individual alcohol tolerance level, and the presence of other medications in the body at the time of consumption. The amount and type of food in the stomach before alcohol consumption is also a factor in the rate of absorption into and elimination from the body.