What is it?

Alcohol is a depressant drug, which means it slows down the brain. Small amounts can make you feel more confident, relaxed and you can have a great night out. However if you take excessive amounts it can lead to loss of self control, dizziness, embarrassment, vomiting and possibly death which, lets be honest, isn’t the description of a great night out!

Risky Business
There are many risks when on the booze some of these are:

* Aggression – arguments and fights that can lead to you having a criminal record.
* Impaired judgement – end up doing things you regret like have unsafe sex, putting yourself at risk of an unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases (STI’s).
* Overdose – You can overdose on alcohol and it definitely is possible to die. Too much alcohol can result in you being in a coma or choking on your own vomit.
Alcohol Poisoning – Want your stomach pumped? Over 1000 young people are admitted to hospital every year with alcohol poisoning.
Hangovers – Sore head, stomach pains, the room spinning, vomiting - doesn’t sound too much fun does it? These are the effects of a hangover and no matter what people tell you there are no “miracle cures”. If you don’t want a hangover its simple don’t drink too much.

Check out these subsectins for more information:

* Drink driving and the law
* How much is too much ?