1. Is alcohol use abused in Aitkin? By whom?

2. Why do some adults use alcohol?
Believe it relaxes them
Friends or spouse uses
Habit
Dependent on it
Used to cope with negative feelings

3. Why do some kids use alcohol?
Peer pressure
Poor resistance skills
Think it will make them popular or cool
Lack of knowledge
Hang out with people who use it
Parents use

4. Why do most teens choose not to use alcohol?
Effects on the body
Illegal
Against morals and values
Don’t want to be ineligible for sports
Responsible decision-making

5. Why is alcohol an inappropriate choice for teens?
It’s illegal
Must be 21 to drink
Minor consumption laws
Will go on your record
Affects career options
Can’t go into the military service
Can’t get a job with the FBI or government agencies

6. Alcohol is physically unhealthy if over used

7. Cardiovascular disease Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Cancer
Liver disorders
Cardiovascular disease
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
One of the leading causes of mental retardation
Organ deficiencies
Cancer
Decreased immune system
Decreased reaction time
Decrease in athletic abilities
Stomach ulcers

8. Affects relationships
Acute and chronic alcohol consumption is associated with high rates of homicides, suicides, sexual assault and spouse and child abuse
Impairs our ability to think clearly and make proper decisions

9. Affects academic performance
Not motivated to do work
Spend less time studying
Forget about projects and assignments
It has been found that students with high grades drink 3 times less than students with low grades

10. Drinking and Driving Blood Alcohol Level depends on many factors
It is the percentage of alcohol circulating in the blood stream
Effects begin around 0.04 % while death may .4%

11. The factors include: How much alcohol a person drinks
How fast they drink
What they weigh
How much the person has eaten
Presence of other drugs in the blood stream

12. How drinking affects driving
Dulls senses
Slows reaction time and interferes with coordination
Blood vessels widen giving a false sense of warmth.
Slows activity of brain cells.
Impairs vision, perception, judgment, & reaction time

13. What should you do if someone who has been drinking offers you a ride?
Say NO
Call someone to get you
Have someone walk you home
Stay the night
Call a cab

14. The law about drinking and driving
There is no safe level of alcohol that a person can consume that will not impair performance.
Legal age for buying and drinking alcohol in MN is 21
Not a drop law- any concentration for under 21 consumption may result in withdrawal of driving privileges for 30 days on first violation and 180 on second

15. If you are under 21 it is against the law for you to operate a car when you have consumed any amount of alcohol
First time convicted of DUI fine up to $700 and or up to 90 days in jail or both. Also loss of driving privileges for one year.

16. What is society and government doing to control drug and alcohol abuse?
Prevention approaches
Making and passing laws about drugs and alcohol
Local and state health agencies are increasingly active
Providing after school programs for teens

17. What can I do to stay alcohol free?
Choose friends who don’t use
Become involved in school activities
Make good, responsible decisions
Be a positive role model through your actions
Refuse peer pressure

18. Alcoholism
A disease where people can’t control their desire for alcohol
5-10 million Americans are affected and 95 million are problem drinkers
Shortens a person’s life by 12 years or more.

19. Why do people become Alcoholics?
Family problems – a way to cope
Psychological – they think their body needs the drug, low self-esteem
Genetics
It runs in families
Physiological
Excess consumption causes tolerance
Addiction occurs

20. Physical dangers of Alcoholism
Cirrhosis of the liver
Direct damage to heart tissue
Damage to inner lining of stomach
Acute pancreatitis
It gets inflamed and doesn’t do it’s job anymore

21. Where to find help
AA- made up of former alcoholics. They admit they have a sickness and try to help others
Al-Anon- Support group for family member and friends of people with Alcoholism
Alateen- Support group for young people who are affected by drinking or other addictions
Other agencies to get help- school, doctor, pastor, priest, and rabbi

22. In Conclusion Alcohol is a very dangerous substance
I didn’t cover any positive sides of alcohol use because there aren’t any
Alcohol abuse can damage your body and your life
It affects your decision making, perceptions, and reactions, which all equal a bad combination.