Alcohol: Truth & Consequences

An estimated 17 percent of cocaine users become addicted to it, and drinkers follow closely at 15 percent. Of the other drugs: marijuana, 9 percent; heroin, 25 percent; nicotine, 32 percent.

Body weight: Fat, protein proportion, volume of blood and cardiovascular function all play roles in determining the impact of alcohol.Gender: Alcohol is generally more potent to women than men (see Question No. 5).Ethnicity: Based on genetic differences, there are direct and indirect alcohol effects by ethnicity. For example, Asians carry a gene that compromises liver function. More than other groups, Asians who drink tend to get flush, sweat and become nauseated.Age: A person’s age is represented in every system of the body, and alcohol works directly on the cardiologic, metabolic, excretory, digestive and neurological systems. Consider that dosage recommendations vary by age even on over-the-counter drugs.Genetics: One’s capacity to tolerate alcohol is partially dependent on genetic factors, so you may gain some insight about your own tolerance by studying other family members’. Geneticists have even gone so far as to determine that the ability to hold alcohol depends on an enzyme made on Chromosome 4.

The effects of one drink per hour will vary greatly from one person to the next. A 125-pound woman having just one glass of wine per hour over the course of three full hours can easily reach a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08—the legal limit in most states. Symptoms such as flushed face and difficulty with fine motor skills can be evident at a BAC level of just .02.The body metabolizes pure alcohol at only .25 or .30 ounces (about half a drink) per hour, so on average it takes two hours for the effects of a single drink to be eradicated. Metabolization simply can’t keep up with an hourly drink. Drinking has a cumulative effect.

Current evidence suggests there is little if any danger in using proper dosages of acetaminophen the morning after a night of drinking. Physicians do acknowledge, however, that research on the subject is lacking. The risk sometimes cited is liver toxicity, which is a realistic concern for alcoholics who overdose on acetaminophen to the tune of 26 extra-strength pills in 24 hours.

Alcohol mixes with water in the body, and because men have more body water, there is more dilution of alcohol. Less body water makes for a meaner hangover as well.

Going by the numbers, the drawbacks of combining alcohol with sex outweigh the benefits. Women with impaired judgment are more likely to engage in sexual behaviors they later regret, especially regarding whom they slept with or what they consented to. Worse yet, compromised judgment can put a woman in a dangerous sexual situation. For both men and women, the likelihood of unprotected sex also rises with alcohol use, increasing incidences of unwanted pregnancy and STDs, including, of course, HIVOn the upside, alcohol does relax social and sexual inhibitions, and can increase amorous feelings. But these benefits could easily backfire as well since alcohol interferes with a man’s ability to sustain an erection and with a woman’s ability to reach orgasm.

Being drunk is not a valid legal defense against a charge of rape or sexual assault. It is estimated that 75 percent of men who perpetrate sexual assault are under the influence of alcohol or drugs. A significant percentage of sexual-assault victims also tend to be under the influence; however, a victim who is drunk may be incapable of giving consent. Sex with an intoxicated person can constitute rape.

Alcohol and pot are both depressants. The risk of slowing one’s body down or passing out increases significantly when they’re combined. Marijuana also inhibits the gag reflex, which can be a problem when you want or need to throw up—and a fatal malfunction if you vomit while unconscious.Some drug combinations are additive, meaning that the effect produced is equal to the sum of the drugs combined. The effect of mixing alcohol and marijuana, however, is hyper-additive or synergistic: The two are multiplied rather than added. Many additional factors have influence (weight, tolerance, age, type of alcohol and pot), so the outcome is always difficult to predict.

And that’s just the 18- to 24-year-olds enrolled in college.

Americans may be getting smarter. Between 2003 and 2004, there was a 2.4 percent reduction in alcohol-related motor vehicle fatalities: 17,105 in 2003 compared to 16,694 in 2004. While that’s good news, alcohol still plays a role in 39 percent of all traffic fatalities.