Alcohol

Every form of addiction is bad,

no matter whether it be alcohol or
morphine or idealism


Carl Jung
Swiss psychiatrist
Facts
40 % of all crimes are committed under the
influence of alcohol
Drunk driving kills someone every 30 minutes
Alcohol is the most abused drug in America
40% of traffic deaths are alcohol related
Alcohol is a depressant

Alcohol
Clear liquid at room temperature
Less dense and evaporates at a lower temp.
than water
Dissolves easily in water
Flammable
Made my fermentation (beer) and distillation
(liquor)
Ethyl Alcohol
Ethanol



Beer 4-6% by volume
Wine 7-15% by volume
Champagne 8-14% by volume
Distilled Spirits 40-95% by volume
Amount of Alcohol in Body
Depends on many factors including:

Body Weight
Gender
Rate of Absorption
Passage of alcohol across the wall of the stomach
and small intestine into the blood stream
Absorption Phase
Absorbed by the stomach and small intestine
Speed of absorption depends on:
Amount of alcohol consumed
Concentration of alcohol
How fast the alcohol was consumed
Presence of food in the stomach
Once absorbed, enters the bloodstream and
dissolves in the water of blood

Elimination Phase
Excretion
elimination of alcohol from the body in an
unchanged state

Kidneys - eliminates 5% of alcohol in urine
Lungs - exhale 5% of alcohol
Skin - sweat

Elimination Phase
Oxidation
combination of oxygen with other substances to
produce new products
Nearly all alcohol is oxidized to CO
2
and water
Oxidation takes place in the liver
Removes 0.5 mL/hr = 1 beer/drink an hour
Effects of Alcohol
Euphoria BAC 0.03-0.12
Excitement BAC 0.09-0.25
Confusion BAC 0.18-0.30
Stupor BAC 0.25-0.40
Coma BAC 0.35-0.50
Death BAC more than 0.50
Alcohols affect on the Brain
Depresses behavioral inhibitory centers
More talkative, self confident
Slows down processing of senses
Raised pain threshold
Inhibits thought processes
Affects Limbic system exaggerated emotions
Uncoordinated movements - Cerebellum
Testing for Alcohol Levels
The amount of alcohol in the blood is directly
related to the amount of alcohol in the brain
Two ways to test
Direct chemical analysis of blood for its alcohol
content
Measurement of alcohol content of breath and its
relation to BAC.
Calculating BAC
BAC (male)



BAC (female)
Breathalyzer
Invented in 1954
Provides easily obtainable specimen along
with a rapid and accurate result
Based on color change when orange
dichromate ion is reduced to green chromium
(III) ion by alcohol.
Concentration of alcohol in breath is
proportional to that in the bloodstream =
Henrys Law
Preliminary Field Sobriety Tests
Normally performed to ascertain the degree
of the suspects physical impairment and
whether an evidential test is justified.
Psychophysical Tests
Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus
Involuntary jerking of eyes as they move form side to
side (more intoxicated = more jerking)
Walk and Turn
One Leg Stand
Blood Alcohol Content (BAC)
and the Law
Percent weight per volume
Legal limit is 0.08%
Any individual meeting or exceeding a defined
blood-alcohol level shall be deemed intoxicated

Under 21: 0.02 (zero tolerance)
Over 21: 0.08-0.09 (impaired)
0.17 (super drunk)
Alcohol related charges

DUI Driving under the influence
DWI Driving while intoxicated
OUI Operating under the influence
OWI Operating while intoxicated
MIP Minor in possession

Implied Consent Law
The operator of a motor vehicle on a public
road automatically submits to a test for
intoxication if requested, or be subject to loss
of license

You agreed to this when you received your
license.