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5,000 teenagers are admitted to hospital every year for alcohol-related reasons.
Alcohol is a leading cause of death among youth, particularly teenagers.
Generally speaking, drinking under 18 is illegal and you can be prosecuted for it, as can anyone who buys it for you.
But not only is it against the law, the damage it can do to your health can last a lifetime.
It can also affect your mood and judgement and put you in dangerous situations where you become vulnerable.
Dangerous drinking
Once you’re over 18, alcohol in small amounts is not necessarily a bad thing, but many young people (and adults) drink far too much in one go. This is known as binge drinking and can have devastating consequences for a person's health, relationships and social lives.
If you have too much to drink you can easily get into situations you wouldn't normally get into because your judgement is affected.
Large amounts of alcohol can:
• Make your movements clumsy
• Slow your reflexes
• Make you slur your words
• Make you excitable, reckless or sleepy
• Make you become violent or depressed
• Affect your judgement
• Make you ill
• Give you hangovers – ouch!
• Affect your long term health
Kill you!
......drinking too much can give you alcohol poisoningWhat did you drink last night?
Find out how many units and calories you consumed using the Drink Calculator.
Getting drunk may seem like fun at the time but the next day you might regret it – with a hangover!
Symptoms of hangovers include:
• Moodiness
• Headaches
• Having trouble concentrating
• Tiredness
• Having a dry mouth
• Feeling very thirsty
• Feeling sick
• Diarrhoea
• A loss of appetite
Fact: Alcohol is responsible for more deaths every year than every other drug put together!
Be sure to remember:
In a restaurant you can have a glass of beer, wine or cider with a meal at the age of 16 or 17 if you are accompanied by someone over 18.
You must be 18 before you can buy alcohol legally in shops and pubs
First aid when dealing with someone under the influence of alcohol
Helping an intoxicated person can be difficult because the person may be belligerent or combative. The persons condition may be serious even life threatening.
Signs and symptoms of alcohol intoxication:
• Odour of alcohol• Unsteadiness
• Staggering
• Confusion
• Slurred speech
• Nausea and vomiting
• Flushed face
Treatment
• Monitor airway breathing
• Assess for other injuries
• Beware of casualty becoming violent
• Snoring sounds indicate an obstructed airway
• If casualty is unconscious, open airway, check breathing, place in recovery position, and call 9-9-9 for an ambulance
