You only need one statistic to be convinced of the damage alcohol wreaks on society. Every single day, an estimated 29 people die in the United States due to car accidents involving alcohol. Drunk driving kills one person roughly every 50 minutes , and over a million Americans were arrested in for driving under the influence. Outside of these dangers, there is also a percentage of the population that succumbs to alcohol dependency, or alcoholism.
This affects about 16 million Americans. While the opioid crisis continues to rage on and overdose deaths caused by both prescription pills and illegal heroin call for a closer look, there are plenty of other drugs causing chaos in the US.
Marijuana, methamphetamine, and cocaine are just a few illegal drugs claiming lives, usually through accidents or overdoses — yet when counting fatalities caused by intoxication, alcohol still sits at the top of the list. Many factors make alcohol one of the more dangerous substances in America, yet to understand why it is something to be worried about, it is important to know what alcohol does to the mind and body.
There were studies not too long ago linking certain types of alcohol to longevity and good health, although these could not conclusively make the link between alcohol and a longer lifespan, instead leading news outlets to promote the news based solely off correlation. Since then, extensive research has been done to study the effects of alcohol on human bodies even in moderation, and the consensus seems to be simple: any alcohol at all will shave time off your life expectancy and will generally negatively impact your health.
There are very minor exceptions to this — for example, while moderate or small alcohol consumption still increases the likelihood of heart failure, it is statistically protective against heart attacks. Something also has to be said for the fact that alcohol is a depressant — this means it helps people relax and unwind, releasing physical and mental tension that, if left unchecked, may lead to something ugly down the line.
Other benefits, previously attributed to red wine, may in fact simply be attributed to the red pigment in grapes and grape juice, rather than the wine. If looked at objectively, alcohol — more specifically ethanol, also known as grain alcohol — is not something we are meant to ingest. Alcohol acts as a central nervous system depressant. This means it slows down the rate at which brain cells and other nerves in the body communicate with one another.
The reason alcohol acts as a social lubricant is because it reduces the functioning of the limbic system of the brain. The limbic system is responsible for producing emotions that drive anxiety and fear. As such, we tend to feel a little less socially awkward after a few drinks. In addition, alcohol reduces the functioning of the pre-frontal cortex — the part of the brain responsible for higher-order cognitive processing including reasoning and judgement.
This leads people to be less inhibited and more impulsive after they have had a few drinks. One danger of this reduction in inhibitions and impaired judgement is that people can sometimes consume more alcohol than they had originally intended. As the dose of alcohol increases, so does the impact on the brain. Consequently, our behaviours are increasingly driven by the more primitive parts of the brain. Hence the potential increase in aggression and sexual prowess.
Alcohol also impacts on the cerebellum — the region at the back of the skull that co-ordinates muscle activity. All states use ignition interlocks to some degree , but as of January, only 23 states require interlocks for all DUI offenders. A study in the American Journal of Public Health found that states with these laws have fewer alcohol-involved crash deaths.
And the bottom line is simple: the more you drink, the less you are able to drive safely, and the higher the likelihood of an accident. This is an updated version of an article originally published on July 22, on The Conversation. You can read the original version here. Brad Uren, M.
July 29, AM. In other words, a completely preventable death occurred every 53 minutes. A few more drinks, a big difference It might not take as many drinks as you think to slow your reaction time and make safe driving harder. Women, who generally weigh less than men, would see a higher BAC per drink. Taking preventive measures In , Congress passed legislation making 0. Preventing Injury.
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