How Alcohol affects customers LESSON 3

It is illegal to deliver more than _____ in any spirituous liquor drink to one person at one time for that person's consumption.

50-oz of beer, 1 liter of wine, and 4-oz of distilled spirits

Measurement of alcohol in drinks

As a general rule, you should not over pour drinks because it increases the risk of the customer becoming obviously intoxicated. The only time an over pour is acceptable is if it does not violate the law, the policies of your establishment allow it, the customer has specifically requested it, and you have determined that the customer is not obviously intoxicated. Remember, it is illegal to deliver more than 50 ounces of beer, 1 liter of wine, or 4 ounces of distilled spirits in any spirituous liquor drink to one person at one time for that person's consumption. Do not rely on the size of the glass to determine the serving size. Many establishments use large beer glasses that may hold 16 or 20 ounces, and some large wine glasses hold 8 to 12 ounces if overfilled. It is crucial that you become familiar with the glassware at your establishment and how much each type holds.

The concentration of alcohol in the bloodstream is known as _____.

BAC (Blood Alcohol Content)

Drink equivalency

Beer has the lowest alcohol content which in most cases is at about 5%, although some dark beers can contain substantially more. Wine weighs in at around 10-15%, and hard liquor goes up from there. The amount of alcohol consumed, however, is generally the same due to portion size. It means there is about the same amount of alcohol in one 12-ounce domestic beer, one 8-ounce microbrew, one 5-ounce glass of wine, and one ounce of 80 proof liquor--all contain about 1/2 ounce of ethyl alcohol. An easy way to remember this: A drink (domestic beer) is a drink (microbrew) is a drink (wine) is a drink (shot - 80 proof liquor) 12 oz. domestic beer = 8 oz. microbrew = 5 oz. wine = 1 oz. 80 proof liquor

Effects of alcohol

Difficulty concentrating, making decisions and overall impairment of what may usually be sound judgment Delayed reaction time Increasingly distorted vision: seeing double or triple, blurred vision, or tunnel vision Slurred speech or unusual speech patterns General mental confusion Less control over motor skills, overall muscle action, coordination, and balance Exaggerated emotions Increased drowsiness

Only food and coffee can make a person completely sober. True or False?

False. Only time can make a person completely sober.

BAC

For example, a BAC of 0.10% means there is 1 part alcohol per 1,000 parts of blood. This is often estimated using a per drink formula. A widely accepted estimate of BAC is two drinks consumed in one hour results in a BAC of approximately 0.04%.

Gender, metabolism, and fatigue

Gender is also a factor that affects intoxication. Women absorb and metabolize alcohol differently than men and usually have a higher BAC after consuming the same amount of alcohol. This difference has been attributed to the fact that men have more body water than women. An additional factor may be that women have lower activity of the alcohol-metabolizing enzyme ADH in their stomach, causing a larger proportion of the ingested alcohol to reach the blood. Each person reacts differently to the amount of alcohol that is consumed. Metabolism (the rate at which a person breaks down food and drink) plays a major role in the BAC of each person. Another factor that affects individual rates is fatigue, which can increase the rate at which a person becomes intoxicated.

Factors to consider when estimating a person's BAC include ______.

How much alcohol is consumed Weight and body fat Amount of water in a person's body Mental state and environment Tolerance

Alcohol and pregnancy

However, there is no law that prohibits women who are pregnant from drinking, so unless there is some other valid reason to refuse service, a pregnant woman is within her legal right to be served.

Legal amount served in AZ

It is also very important to know the legal amount of alcohol you are allowed to serve in Arizona. It is illegal to deliver more than 50 ounces of beer, 1 liter of wine, or 4 ounces of distilled spirits Remember, there is an exception for on-sale retailers. On-sale retailers are exempt from quantity restrictions for selling and delivering an opened original container of distilled spirits if the on-sale retailer's employee provides service or pouring and the employee monitors consumption to ensure compliance. Locking devices may be used but are not required.

Inhibitions, Judgment, & Coordination

Low BACs (0.01% to 0.05%) often result in mild alteration of feelings and bad driving habits are pronounced slightly. This is followed by a feeling of relaxation, and impairment of judgment and fine motor skills. As the BAC rises to 0.10% to 0.15%, judgment and memory are affected seriously and physical coordination is impaired, making driving difficult. Signs of impaired coordination can include standing with feet wide apart for balance, leaning against a counter, wall, or other support, or clumsy actions like dropping the change from the last round of drinks. Dysphoria (an emotional state marked by anxiety, depression, and restlessness) and nausea can be felt at a BAC of 0.15% to 0.20% and as the person consumes more alcohol he or she may have difficulty standing, walking and talking and eventually major impairment of all physical and mental functions. At a BAC of approximately 0.25% to 0.30%, the person may lose consciousness.

Absorption Rate and factors

Many factors influence the absorption process and the level of intoxication, including: How much alcohol is consumed - both the strength of the drink and the number of drinks consumed How quickly the alcohol is consumed - remember, the body is capable of metabolizing about one drink per hour Weight & body fat Amount of water in a person's body Gender Overall health Age Tolerance Drug use Food consumption Mental state & environment Mood Other physical and emotional factors

Communication

Mental Capacity When ordering drinks, they may lose their train of thought easily, sway, yawn, or act sleepy. Speech People who are obviously intoxicated may slur or trip over their words, or use strange speech patterns when engaged in conversation. Emotion Intoxicated customers may suddenly react with intense emotion (crying, for example) or violence during a conversation. Another indication of obvious intoxication is the increased use of hand gestures while talking which often results in spilled drinks.

Signs of intoxication

Physical: Sparse eye contact Glassy or bloodshot eyes Disheveled hair or clothes Flushed face Judgement: Disoriented Ordering doubles Careless with money Irrational Behavior: Overly friendly Extreme change in mood Loud and boisterous behavior Showing off Speech: Slurred words Incoherent thoughts Uncontrolled pace of speech or volume of voice Slow responses Coordination: Leaning heavily on other people or objects for balance Staggering Fumbling with small objects Spilling drinks

Consequences of selling to obv intoxicated

Remember, selling to an obviously intoxicated person in Arizona is a Class 1 misdemeanor and is punishable by up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $2,500.

Path of alcohol through body

Seventy-five to eighty percent (75-80%) of the alcohol enters the bloodstream through the walls of the small intestine. Ninety percent (90%) of the alcohol is eliminated by the liver. A healthy body eliminates about 1/2 oz of pure alcohol per hour. The process by which alcohol is removed from the bloodstream is primarily metabolism and some excretion. Metabolism begins almost immediately upon entry of the alcohol into the bloodstream and is accomplished by a group of six digestive enzymes.

Time

The faster the drink is consumed, the greater the blood alcohol concentration (BAC). A glass of wine will be fully absorbed into the bloodstream after about an hour, and it takes about an hour to filter back out again. The same goes for a shot of liquor (1 oz) or one beer (12 oz). To allow the body time to process the alcohol, a person should have no more than one drink per hour.

Food

The rate at which alcohol is absorbed depends on how quickly the stomach empties its contents into the small intestine. Studies have found that subjects who drank alcohol after a meal that included fat and protein absorbed the alcohol about three times more slowly than when they consumed alcohol on an empty stomach.

Recognizing Intoxication

Therefore it is important that you recognize more subtle signs of obvious intoxication, such as: gulping drinks, ordering doubles, wanting more and more alcohol, unstable emotional state, glassy or bloodshot eyes, or the smell of alcohol on the breath. Remember, even though an experienced drinker will show fewer obvious signs of intoxication his or her BAC level will remain high.

Counting drinks

When counting drinks, remember that drinks containing more than the standard amount of alcohol should be counted as two or more drinks.

Common signs of intoxication you will recognize when ______ include acting overly tired, losing their train of thought easily, slurred speech, and strange speech patterns.

communicating with your customers

Alcohol affects the body by ______.

exaggerating emotion, increasing drowsiness, and slowing reaction time

An ______ often develops a high tolerance level and will show fewer signs of obvious intoxication but may still display more subtle signs such as ordering doubles, unstable emotional state, and glassy or bloodshot eyes.

experienced drinker

Consuming ______ with alcohol slows the alcohol absorption rate.

food

It is ______ to deliver more than 50 ounces of beer, 1 liter of wine, and 4 ounces of distilled spirits in any spirituous liquor drink to one person at one time for that person's consumption.

illegal

A way to estimate BAC and help prevent intoxication is to ______.

keep track of the number of drinks a customer is consuming

Loud and boisterous or animated behavior, or difficulty handling money are signs that a customer is _____.

obviously intoxicated