Remember
Abstinence from alcohol, drugs and sex is wisest until you are over 21
- You don’t have to drink to have a good time
- Change your attitude!
- Be brave
- Be assertive
- Say No
- If you do drink, drink a little and slowly
Parents: Stop allowing teenagers to drink alcohol at home!
An occasional drink at home with you does not usually stop teens from binging when they are with friends, as binge drinking is the style of drinking that is usual amongst teens now.
No drinking is the safest rule, and is being advocated Internationally now.
Get teens to become AlcoFreeTeens™, to save their brains being damaged by binge drinking.
Chances of addiction
40% if start Under 15
20% if start Under 18
10% if start Over 21
BINGE OR HEAVY DRINKING = 5 UNITS within 2 hours! Blackouts should never happen!
That is brain damage drinking!
The brain only finishes developing at age 21. Teenagers who drink too much (binge) may lose as much as 10% of their brainpower – the difference between passing and failing in school ………and in life.
Discover, Tapert, 2001
“The younger someone is when they begin to drink alcohol, the more likely that that individual will eventually become an alcoholic. 40% of drinkers who got started before 15 were later classified as alcohol dependent.” (i.e. starting drinking at 15 compared to starting at 18, gives one 4 x the chance of becoming an alcoholic!!)
NIAAA, 2001.
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Alcohol poisoning
This is a rough guide – as each person can “hold ” different amounts of alcohol – so death occurs with different amounts of units. Death can occur from as little as 8-10 units with a small sized/unpractised drinker.
Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant. The body shuts down slowly, or quickly if very strong alcohol is “down-downed.”
The first system of the body to be affected is reasoning. Then speech becomes slurred. Then co-ordination is affected. Then the person becomes unconscious.
They then become comatose and unresponsive and are often are pale and pasty. The final system that shuts down is the respiratory system so the person stops breathing, and will die if not artificially resuscitated.
Brain death occurs after a few minutes of the brain being starved of oxygen.
What should you do in case of alcohol poisoning?
- Lie the person on their side in recovery position (on their back) so that if they vomit, they don’t choke on the vomit.
- Check the pulse.
- If breathing has stopped, do artificial resuscitation.
- Do not try and make them vomit.
- Do not pour water on them or put them in a shower/pool.
- The only thing that takes alcohol out of the body is time.
- Get an adult / parent to assist.
- Get to hospital asap.
- Call 10111- ambulances: Netcare 082 911 or ER 084 124
First aid: if the person is unresponsive call for medical help immediately.
082 911 NetCare
084 124 ER24
10117 EMRS
10111 Police Flying Squad.
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