Booze can be bad news
For some students, drinking to excess is a “rite of passage” they associate with college.
It’s an image we’ve all seen over and over: a group of friends, drinks in hand, having a
wild night – it looks like so much fun.
Alcohol can be fun when it’s consumed responsibly. It’s up to you to keep informed about the short- and long-term effects of a night of partying.
SHORT-TERM EFFECTS
HEAD
• Headaches
• Impaired judgment
• Unconsciousness
• Blackouts (memory lapses where the drinker cannot remember events that occurred while under the influence)
• Coma
• Slurred Speech
• Drowsiness
• Distorted vision
• Decreased perception and coordination
• Distorted hearing
LUNGS
• Breathing diffi culties
STOMACH
• Vomiting
• Upset stomach
• Diarrhea
BLOOD
• Anemia (Loss of red blood cells)
LONG-TERM EFFECTS
BRAIN & HEAD
• Nerve damage
• Vitamin B1 defi ciency, which can lead to a disorder characterized by amnesia, apathy and disorientation
• Permanent damage to the brain
• Cancer of the mouth and throat
HEART
• High blood pressure, stroke, and other heart-related diseases
• Increased family problems, broken relationships
BODY
• Injuries such as car crash, falls, burns and drowning
• Injuries such as firearm injuries, sexual assault and domestic violence
• Increased on-the-job injuries and loss of productivity
STATS & FACTS
• In 2011, 78 per cent of Canadians aged 15 and older had consumed alcohol (Health Canada)
• At ages 15 to 19, 52 per cent of males and 35 per cent of females reported consuming five or more alcoholic drinks on a single occasion in the previous year (Statistics Canada)
• In 2008, an estimated 24.1 per cent of males and 9.6 per cent of females reported heavy drinking – consuming five or more drinks on one occasion, 12 or more times over the past year (Statistics Canada)
• From 2000 to 2007, 47 per cent of all drivers 19 years of age or younger that died in traffic fatalities tested positive for alcohol and/or drugs (Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse)
• In 2009, 16- to 25-year-olds constituted 13.7 per cent of the population but made up more than 30 per cent of the alcohol-related traffic deaths (Mothers Against Drunk Driving)
• Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among 15 to 25 year olds, and alcohol is a factor in half of those crashes (MADD)
Alcohol can be fun when it’s consumed responsibly. It’s up to you to keep informed about the short- and long-term effects of a night of partying.
SHORT-TERM EFFECTS
HEAD
• Headaches
• Impaired judgment
• Unconsciousness
• Blackouts (memory lapses where the drinker cannot remember events that occurred while under the influence)
• Coma
• Slurred Speech
• Drowsiness
• Distorted vision
• Decreased perception and coordination
• Distorted hearing
LUNGS
• Breathing diffi culties
STOMACH
• Vomiting
• Upset stomach
• Diarrhea
BLOOD
• Anemia (Loss of red blood cells)
LONG-TERM EFFECTS
BRAIN & HEAD
• Nerve damage
• Vitamin B1 defi ciency, which can lead to a disorder characterized by amnesia, apathy and disorientation
• Permanent damage to the brain
• Cancer of the mouth and throat
HEART
• High blood pressure, stroke, and other heart-related diseases
• Increased family problems, broken relationships
BODY
• Injuries such as car crash, falls, burns and drowning
• Injuries such as firearm injuries, sexual assault and domestic violence
• Increased on-the-job injuries and loss of productivity
STATS & FACTS
• In 2011, 78 per cent of Canadians aged 15 and older had consumed alcohol (Health Canada)
• At ages 15 to 19, 52 per cent of males and 35 per cent of females reported consuming five or more alcoholic drinks on a single occasion in the previous year (Statistics Canada)
• In 2008, an estimated 24.1 per cent of males and 9.6 per cent of females reported heavy drinking – consuming five or more drinks on one occasion, 12 or more times over the past year (Statistics Canada)
• From 2000 to 2007, 47 per cent of all drivers 19 years of age or younger that died in traffic fatalities tested positive for alcohol and/or drugs (Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse)
• In 2009, 16- to 25-year-olds constituted 13.7 per cent of the population but made up more than 30 per cent of the alcohol-related traffic deaths (Mothers Against Drunk Driving)
• Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among 15 to 25 year olds, and alcohol is a factor in half of those crashes (MADD)