Drinks such as beer, wine, cider and all contain alcohol.  Some drinks are stronger than others because they contain a higher proportion of alcohol.

When a person drinks alcohol it is absorbed into his or her body through the stomach and small intestine.  The alcohol is then carried in the bloodstream to the , muscles, heart and elsewhere.  This can happen very quickly, particularly if the person has an stomach when they drink.

The human body cannot store alcohol so it has to get rid of it.  The liver processes the alcohol and most of it is passed out in the urine.  Some is also removed on the breath and also through . 

Alcohol is often measured in units.  The body breaks down alcohol at roughly one per hour and there is no way of making this happen more quickly.  Therefore, drinking lots of coffee etc. does not someone up more quickly.

The amount of alcohol in the blood depends on how much alcohol is consumed and how quickly it is drunk.  A person's size and weight also makes a difference with the same amount of alcohol normally affecting a person more.

There is also a difference between men and women.  Women are generally smaller and their bodies tend to have less body water and more body fat then men.  Alcohol does not dissolve easily in fat so women end up with more alcohol in their blood than men when they drink the amount.

Alcohol also has a greater effect on a person if their body is short of water because this means there is less water to absorb the alcohol.  This explains why drinking alcohol in summer or after affects people more.

We should never forget that alcohol is a powerful .  It affects the nerves that pass messages around the body by slowing them down.  Alcohol also affects the parts of the brain responsible for self-control and this is why drunk people do things they would not  do.

As people drink more alcohol, their become slower and their muscles become uncoordinated.  Speech can be affected and some people suffer strong emotional responses.  For example, they may become aggressive or tearful.

Those who drink heavily for a long time can suffer terrible health problems including alcohol , liver failure, cancer and heart disease, as well as mood changes, anxiety and .

Even getting drunk occasionally can have serious consequences.  Judgement is badly affected and people take many more risks such as drinking and driving or going off with complete .  Such acts may seem a good idea at the time, but can be very dangerous leading to injuries, accidents and attacks. 

Alcohol misuse also causes many teenagers to take risks with sex which results in sexually transmitted infections and/or unwanted pregnancies.  Such consequences can ruin young lives, and unfortunately do so every in Britain.

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