AlcoholEdu

blackout

A blackout happens when people drink enough to impair the brain's ability to form new memories. Someone who has experienced a blackout will remain conscious, but won't remember their activities and actions later. At this level of inebriation, decision-making and judgment are severely impaired, so the choices they make and the actions they take can be compromised and potentially dangerous - to themselves and others. A person in this condition is generally considered incapacitated and not able to give or obtain consent for sexual activity.

Brownout

A condition similar to a blackout. When people have brownouts as a result of consuming alcohol, they may not initially remember something that happened, but when prompted to remember, they can eventually pull their memories together.

Cerebellum

Alcohol impacts the cerebellum, the part of the brain that is responsible for motor control and equilibrium. Alcohol can cause balance problems, making people clumsy and uncoordinated

liver

An organ that helps the body digest food and remove toxins, including processing alcohol. Drinking a lot of alcohol and drinking alcohol for a long time increases the risk of damage to the liver. When alcohol is combined with other drugs, that risk can be even greater.

overdose

An overdose occurs when a toxic amount of one or more drugs is taken. Combining substances, such as alcohol and other drugs, can significantly increase the odds of an overdose. Overdoses can be fatal and should be treated as a medical emergency. Crucial areas of the brain and body can shut down as a result of alcohol overdose, leading to coma or even death.

Depressants

Depressants ("downers") are substances that slow down (or depress) the level of activity in the brain and nervous system. Some depressants are used medicinally to assist with conditions including seizures, anxiety, and sleep disorders. Alcohol is the most widely used depressant.

Tolerance

Needing to consume more of a substance to get the same effect.

recovery

Recovery can include abstaining from substance use or significantly cutting back.

substance use disorder

Sometimes referred to as addiction, a substance use disorder is characterized by the compulsive use of alcohol or other drugs despite adverse consequences.

misuse

Taking a drug in ways or amounts other than as prescribed, such as taking a drug without a prescription.

abstaining

abstaining from alcohol means deciding to not drink

Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC)

the amount of alcohol in a person's blood, expressed as a percentage

standard drink measurement

A standard drink in the U.S. contains 0.6 fluid ounces of alcohol and typically equals a 12 oz. beer, a 5 oz. glass of wine, or 1.5 oz. of hard liquor, whether consumed in a mixed drink or a shot.

Inebriation

A state of drunkenness or intoxication.

dependence

A state that develops from repeated use of a substance where cessation of use results in withdrawal.

Biphasic effect

Alcohol is a drug that has a biphasic (meaning two-phase) effect, which is related to BAC. During the first phase of this effect, someone who has had one or two drinks may feel okay, or even a little buzzed. As they drink more and their BAC rises above .04%, a second phase begins where they can experience negative effects such as a lack of muscle coordination, impaired judgment and memory, confusion, dizziness, slurred speech, slower reaction time, lack of balance, vomiting, sleepiness, and blackouts.

Cannibis

Cannabis (legally referred to as marijuana), includes leaves, THC, hash, edibles, oils, and other products derived from the cannabis plant. Effects include anxiety, demotivation, euphoria, and impairment of judgement, motor coordination, alertness, decision making, and reaction times. In some states it is prescribed to treat nausea and pain. While legal in some states, cannabis use is both illegal and prohibited on college campuses that receive federal funding.

Neurotransmitters

Chemical messengers in the brain that are impacted by the use of alcohol and other drugs.

Incapacitation and impairment

Consent cannot be given if a person is mentally or physically incapacitated, even if they say "yes." Incapacitation means they are not able to accurately evaluate and make informed, rational decisions because of impairment due to use of alcohol and/or other drugs (or a mental or physical condition, like being unconscious or asleep). A person who commits sexual assault may intentionally use alcohol to make a target more vulnerable.

consent (sexual)

Consent requires clear, voluntary agreement. It occurs when someone says "yes," gives permission, or clearly agrees, through mutually understood words or actions, to a specific sexual activity. Sexual assault occurs when one person does not give consent, or the other person does not get consent during the activity.

Intersex

Intersex (sometimes called "Differences of Sex Development") is an umbrella term describing a wide range of physical conditions where an individual's sex characteristics (such as genitals or reproductive organs) do not directly correlate with typical binary notions of male or female bodies. The term intersex is often confused with the term transgender, but these are two different concepts — see that definition to learn more.

pituitary

Located at the base of the brain, the pituitary is a gland that regulates the body's hormone balance. Alcohol inhibits the pituitary gland's release of the hormone vasopressin, which causes the kidneys to stop reabsorbing water.

Stimulants

Stimulants ("uppers") are substances that increase (or stimulate) the level of activity in the body, brain and nervous system. Stimulant medications that are prescribed to treat ADHD.

Kidneys

A pair of organs, located near the spine, that are responsible for filtering the body's blood supply and collecting waste fluid which becomes urine.

Hallucinogens

Hallucinogens are substances that can cause psychoactive changes, affecting perception and causing hallucinations and other alterations in thought, mood, and consciousness.

recovery position

If a person is unconscious, but still breathing on their own, move them into the recovery position. Roll the person onto their side. Bend their top knee so the hip and knee are both at right angles. Keep the airway open by tilting the head back gently. If they are conscious and breathing, keep them awake and sitting up.

withdrawal

If a person who is dependent on a substance like alcohol or other drugs stops using, they may experience withdrawal symptoms like irritability, trouble sleeping, or physical discomfort.

Pancreas

Located near the stomach, the pancreas is an organ that makes insulin and enzymes that help the body digest food. Significant amounts of alcohol can disrupt normal processes in the pancreas. Enzymes build up, eventually causing pancreatitis.

National Minimum Drinking Age Act

Passed in 1984, the law requires states to prohibit people who are under 21 from purchasing or publicly possessing alcoholic beverages. States that do not comply will not receive federal highway funds.

Alcohol Proof

Proof is another way to measure the amount of alcohol in a beverage. Proof in the U.S. is defined as double the percentage of alcohol by volume, so the alcohol content is half of its proof.

rescue breathing/cpr

Respiratory failure is the cause of many overdose deaths. See if anyone present is trained in rescue breathing/CPR. If not: Clear the mouth, if blocked by vomit. Tilt the head. Lift the chin. Pinch the nose. Use your mouth to create a seal around their lips and give 2 quick breaths into their mouth, followed by 1 long breath every 5 seconds until emergency services arrive.

vaping

Vaping devices like e-cigarettes or pods heat a liquid that usually contains nicotine and other chemicals to create an aerosol (also known as vapor) which is then inhaled into the lungs.

Vasopressin

A hormone secreted by the pituitary gland. Alcohol can inhibit its production, causing the kidneys to stop reabsorbing water.

edibles

Cannabis edibles are foods and beverages that are made with THC, the primary intoxicating compound found in cannabis. It can be hard to know how potent an edible will be or how much THC it contains. A single cannabis edible may be intended to contain six (or more) separate portions or servings, and the effects can take 30 minutes to two hours to develop.

Nicotine

Nicotine, a stimulant, is found in the tobacco plant. It can be found in nicotine gum, cigarettes, chewing tobacco, vaporized tobacco products (ecigs, vape), and nicotine patches. Nicotine is highly addictive and can lead to dependence; increased blood pressure, breathing, and heart rate; and increased risk of cancer, heart disease, and pneumonia.

Opioids

Opioids (opiates, narcotics) are derivatives of the opium poppy plant, as well as synthetic substances, that bind to the opioid receptors of the brain. They have depressant properties and act on the nervous system, peripheral nervous system, and gastrointestinal tract. Prescribed to treat pain, they can cause euphoria, drowsiness, clouded thinking, nausea/vomiting, slowed breathing and heart rate, and damage to the heart, liver, and kidneys.

central nervous system

The central nervous system consists of the brain, the optic nerves, and the spinal cord. Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant. Its sedative effect slows down brain functions, including awareness, sensations, thoughts, and judgment.

gastrointestinal tract

The gastrointestinal tract or digestive system is an organ system consisting of the esophagus, stomach, and small and large intestines. It takes in food, digests it to extract energy and nutrients, and expels the remaining material as waste.

Hippocampus

The hippocampus is involved in creating new memories and encoding long-term memories. Alcohol impairs the brain's ability to form new memories. Large amounts of alcohol, especially if consumed quickly, can impair the hippocampus and result in a brownout or blackout.

Controlled Substances Act

This Controlled Substances Act established federal drug policy controlling the manufacture, importation, possession, use, and distribution of certain substances. It created five classifications, or Schedules, of drugs, each is grouped by factors such as potential for/history of abuse, scientific evidence of medicinal benefit, and its relationship to other substances already listed on a given Schedule.

trans

Transgender typically refers to individuals who have an assigned birth sex/gender that does not match their actual gender identity (a person's internal sense of their gender). A transgender person may, or may not, express a gender that is different from the social expectations of the sex assigned at birth. An individual's gender identity can evolve over their lifetime, and there is no one way to be transgender. Some transgender people alter their bodies with surgery or hormones; some do not. Trans is an umbrella term that includes transgender people. It describes a diverse community with wide-ranging experiences including transexual, gender non-conforming and many additional identities. The trans community is a part of the larger LGBTQIA community.