What Is Drinking Alcohol? Alcohol is created when grains, fruits, or vegetables are fermented. Fermentation is the process that uses yeast or bacteria to change the sugars in the food into alcohol. Fermentation is used to produce many necessary items everything like cheese to even things like medications. An alcoholic beverage is a drink containing ethanol, also known as alcohol. Alcoholic beverages are divided into three classes: beers, wines, and spirits. They are consumed in over 100 countries. These countries have laws about their production, sale, and consumption. To be specific, laws such as the minimum age at which a person may legally buy or drink alcohol. The minimum age to drink alcohol in most countries is ages 16 and 25 years, also depending on the type of drink. Most nations set it at 18 years of age. Alcohol is a psychoactive drug that has a depressant effect. Having high blood alcohol content is usually called legal drunkenness because it reduces attention and slows reaction speed. Alcohol can be addictive and alcoholism is the addiction to alcohol. History of Alcohol in the U.S.A In 1919 to 1933The United States was at the time that alcohol was suppose to be illegal. They did this to eliminate the drinking of alcoholic beverages by means of a national prohibition of their manufacture and sale. This period became known as the Prohibition era. During this time, the 18th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States made the manufacture, sale, and transportation of alcoholic beverages illegal throughout the United States. This prohibition caused widespread disrespect for the law; people started getting alcohol from illegal sources. This caused a lucrative business which was created for illegal producers and sellers of alcohol, which led to the development of organized crime. Because of all of this happening it led to the repeal of the 18th Amendment in 1933. But still some states still decided to ban alcohol after the 18 amendment was dropped. How Does Drinking Alcohol Affect The Body? Alcohol is called a depressant which is used to slow down the body's nervous system. But taking in big amounts of it can affect your perceptions, emotions, movement, vision, and hearing. Still Taking it in small amounts can make you can feel more relaxed and less anxious. Alcohol is a natural product but it is bad because when it is released into the bloodstream, it affects the spinal cord and nervous system which controls all the bodies’ functions. Alcohol is especially for teens whose brains are still developing and can really affect them. Is Drinking Alcohol An Element? No, alcohol isn't an element it’s a compound. An element is the smallest unit of a substance in which every piece is the same. Alcohol is not an element because it is made up of different elements: carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. Why Shouldn't Teens Drink Alcohol? Alcohol is a drug that can affect you if consumed too much. 21 is the legal drinking age, but some teens think it’s cool to drink while still young not knowing the consequences. Things like crime (robbing banks, etc), Sexual Health, School, and socially ability will be uprooted from drinking alcohol. It is dangerous and when you drink alcohol because you can get addicted to drinking and drink more and more just to fill the pleasure of the chemicals in the alcohol. Drinking also doesn’t only affect your sexual health but your physical health when teens drink they are more likely to get fat and have health issues. But even other things like drownings from drinking even, homicide, suicides, and car crashes are a result of teens even parents drinking. How to avoid/Stop Drinking? For Teens to avoid drinking it’s all about avoiding per pressure. If someone wants you to drink with them try to avoid it by saying “I gotta Go” or “I have to get somewhere Urgent” to avoid the teen drinkers from temping you to drink. If there is alcohol at a party make an exit plan just in case of temptation and don’t forget girls or guys who have strong self-esteem are less likely to become problem drinkers than people with low self-esteem. If your parents drink try to talk to them about the dangers of drinking and if you have drank alcohol before tell them it could have been because of their influence. For adults try to stay away when your friends are drinking or going to clubs, etc. Try drinking things to substitute for alcohol like tea or a soft drink. If things like this don’t help seeing a counselor to help deal with this situation. Also try to talk to your kids about the danger of drinking when they grow up and the temptation from other kids to get them to drink.
Credits (MLA Form)
MLA (Modern Language Association) style:
Nitz, O. W. "Alcohol." Encyclopedia Americana. Grolier Online, 2012. Web. 9 Apr. 2012.
Alcohol is created when grains, fruits, or vegetables are fermented. Fermentation is the process that uses yeast or bacteria to change the sugars in the food into alcohol. Fermentation is used to produce many necessary items everything like cheese to even things like medications.
An alcoholic beverage is a drink containing ethanol, also known as alcohol. Alcoholic beverages are divided into three classes: beers, wines, and spirits. They are consumed in over 100 countries. These countries have laws about their production, sale, and consumption. To be specific, laws such as the minimum age at which a person may legally buy or drink alcohol. The minimum age to drink alcohol in most countries is ages 16 and 25 years, also depending on the type of drink. Most nations set it at 18 years of age.
Alcohol is a psychoactive drug that has a depressant effect. Having high blood alcohol content is usually called legal drunkenness because it reduces attention and slows reaction speed. Alcohol can be addictive and alcoholism is the addiction to alcohol.
History of Alcohol in the U.S.A
In 1919 to 1933The United States was at the time that alcohol was suppose to be illegal. They did this to eliminate the drinking of alcoholic beverages by means of a national prohibition of their manufacture and sale. This period became known as the Prohibition era. During this time, the 18th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States made the manufacture, sale, and transportation of alcoholic beverages illegal throughout the United States.
This prohibition caused widespread disrespect for the law; people started getting alcohol from illegal sources. This caused a lucrative business which was created for illegal producers and sellers of alcohol, which led to the development of organized crime. Because of all of this happening it led to the repeal of the 18th Amendment in 1933. But still some states still decided to ban alcohol after the 18 amendment was dropped.
How Does Drinking Alcohol Affect The Body?
Alcohol is called a depressant which is used to slow down the body's nervous system. But taking in big amounts of it can affect your perceptions, emotions, movement, vision, and hearing. Still Taking it in small amounts can make you can feel more relaxed and less anxious.
Alcohol is a natural product but it is bad because when it is released into the bloodstream, it affects the spinal cord and nervous system which controls all the bodies’ functions. Alcohol is especially for teens whose brains are still developing and can really affect them.
Is Drinking Alcohol An Element?
No, alcohol isn't an element it’s a compound. An element is the smallest unit of a substance in which every piece is the same. Alcohol is not an element because it is made up of different elements: carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.
Why Shouldn't Teens Drink Alcohol?
Alcohol is a drug that can affect you if consumed too much. 21 is the legal drinking age, but some teens think it’s cool to drink while still young not knowing the consequences. Things like crime (robbing banks, etc), Sexual Health, School, and socially ability will be uprooted from drinking alcohol. It is dangerous and when you drink alcohol because you can get addicted to drinking and drink more and more just to fill the pleasure of the chemicals in the alcohol.
Drinking also doesn’t only affect your sexual health but your physical health when teens drink they are more likely to get fat and have health issues. But even other things like drownings from drinking even, homicide, suicides, and car crashes are a result of teens even parents drinking.
How to avoid/Stop Drinking?
For Teens to avoid drinking it’s all about avoiding per pressure. If someone wants you to drink with them try to avoid it by saying “I gotta Go” or “I have to get somewhere Urgent” to avoid the teen drinkers from temping you to drink. If there is alcohol at a party make an exit plan just in case of temptation and don’t forget girls or guys who have strong self-esteem are less likely to become problem drinkers than people with low self-esteem. If your parents drink try to talk to them about the dangers of drinking and if you have drank alcohol before tell them it could have been because of their influence.
For adults try to stay away when your friends are drinking or going to clubs, etc. Try drinking things to substitute for alcohol like tea or a soft drink. If things like this don’t help seeing a counselor to help deal with this situation. Also try to talk to your kids about the danger of drinking when they grow up and the temptation from other kids to get them to drink.
Credits (MLA Form)
- MLA (Modern Language Association) style:
Nitz, O. W. "Alcohol." Encyclopedia Americana. Grolier Online, 2012. Web. 9 Apr. 2012.- MLA (Modern Language Association) style:
Hadley, Elbert H. "Alcohol." Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia. Grolier Online, 2012. Web. 9 Apr. 2012.- MLA (Modern Language Association) style:
Pittman, David J. "Alcohol Consumption." Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia. Grolier Online, 2012. Web. 9 Apr. 2012- MLA (Modern Language Association) style:
Nitz, Otto W. "Ethyl Alcohol." Encyclopedia Americana. Grolier Online, 2012. Web. 29 Apr. 2012- : MLA (Modern Language Association) style
Meyer, Roger E. "Alcoholism." Encyclopedia Americana. Grolier Online, 2012. Web. 29 Apr. 2012.