Alcohol case study

Question

Case Study:

Understanding your Blood Alcohol Content LIMITS

Students often ask me: "How much alcohol can I drink and still be safe?"

My answer is: "It is never safe to drive under the influence of any amount of alcohol." (Or, drugs and/or sleep deprivation!)

However, you should know what the "legal" maximum blood alcohol levels are for driving. What are they?

According to the State of California, DMV:

It is illegal for any person to operate a vehicle with a:

1. BAC of 0.08% or higher, if the person is 21 years old or older.
2. BAC of 0.01% or higher, if the person is under 21 years old.
3. BAC of 0.01% or higher at any age, if the person is on a DUI probation.
4. BAC of 0.04% or higher, in any vehicle requiring a CDL—with or without a CDL issued to the driver.

Case Study: You attended a party and the host served you a frozen margarita-beer. It was a hot afternoon and you consumed it within 30 minutes. You read the report from the CDC (see below) and decide that you should ask how much alcohol this drink contained. The host tells you that it contained: 1 shot glass (1.0 ounces) of tequila and 1 small bottle of beer (12 ounces). 

Your assignment: 

Complete the following tasks. Reply posts are OPTIONAL. You may start on this assignment at any time during the course.

1. Use google to look up your estimated BAC

2. Read the CDC description below and define what is "moderate drinking" for each gender.

3. Read the CDC description below and define what is "binge drinking" for each gender.

4. Discuss the safe amount of alcohol for a woman who is pregnant.

5. State at least 3 short-term and 3 long-term risks associated with alcohol use (see CDC facts).

6. State at one long-term problem associated with binge drinking (see video).

READ & WATCH VIDEOS BELOW:

From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

Drinking too much can harm your health. Excessive alcohol use led to approximately 88,000 deaths and 2.5 million years of potential life lost (YPLL) each year in the United States from 2006 – 2010, shortening the lives of those who died by an average of 30 years. Further, excessive drinking was responsible for 1 in 10 deaths among working-age adults aged 20-64 years. The economic costs of excessive alcohol consumption in 2010 were estimated at $249 billion, or $2.05 a drink.

What is a "drink"?

In the United States, a standard drink contains 0.6 ounces (14.0 grams or 1.2 tablespoons) of pure alcohol. Generally, this amount of pure alcohol is found in

1. 12-ounces of beer (5% alcohol content).
2. 8-ounces of malt liquor (7% alcohol content).
3. 5-ounces of wine (12% alcohol content).
4. 1.5-ounces of 80-proof (40% alcohol content) distilled spirits or liquor (e.g., gin, rum, vodka, whiskey).4

What is excessive drinking?

Excessive drinking includes binge drinking, heavy drinking, and any drinking by pregnant women or people younger than age 21.

1. Binge drinking, the most common form of excessive drinking, is defined as consuming
2. For women, 4 or more drinks during a single occasion.
3. For men, 5 or more drinks during a single occasion.

What is moderate drinking?

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans defines moderate drinking as up to 1 drink per day for women and up to 2 drinks per day for men.  In addition, the Dietary Guidelines do not recommend that individuals who do not drink alcohol start drinking for any reason.

However, there are some people who should not drink any alcohol, including those who are:

1. Younger than age 21.
2. Pregnant or may be pregnant.
3. Driving, planning to drive, or participating in other activities requiring skill, coordination, and alertness.
4. Taking certain prescription or over-the-counter medications that can interact with alcohol.
5. Suffering from certain medical conditions.
6. Recovering from alcoholism or are unable to control the amount they drink.

By adhering to the Dietary Guidelines, you can reduce the risk of harm to yourself or others.

Short-Term Health Risks

Excessive alcohol use has immediate effects that increase the risk of many harmful health conditions. These are most often the result of binge drinking and include the following:

1. Injuries, such as motor vehicle crashes, falls, drownings, and burns.
2. Violence, including homicide, suicide, sexual assault, and intimate partner violence.
3. Alcohol poisoning, a medical emergency that results from high blood alcohol levels.
4. Risky sexual behaviors, including unprotected sex or sex with multiple partners. These behaviors can result in unintended pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV.
5. Miscarriage and stillbirth or fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs) among pregnant women.

Long-Term Health Risks

Over time, excessive alcohol use can lead to the development of chronic diseases and other serious problems including:

1. High blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, liver disease, and digestive problems.
2. Cancer of the breast, mouth, throat, esophagus, liver, and colon.
3. Learning and memory problems, including dementia and poor school performance.
4. Mental health problems, including depression and anxiety.
5. Social problems, including lost productivity, family problems, and unemployment.
6. Alcohol dependence, or alcoholism.

CLICK OR COPY/PASTE VIDEOS

http://usat.ly/1X3f9Nd

and

Long-term effects of binge drinking

Answer 1

I would like to add that the question doesn't ask about being safe to drive but asks how much alcohol can I drink and still be safe. Alcohol is a great disinhibiter and a great many young people engage in risky behaviors that have nothing to with driving with just a minimum of alcohol in their system. Everyone has an individual tolerance for alcohol based on their genetics and their expectations, their arousal level, gender and body weight. Furthermore, if you are an athlete and wanting to perform at the top of your game, alcohol is a drug that you want to avoid at all costs because it impairs muscle recovery as well as performance. If you are a student who wants to avoid lost time studying, or class absenteeism, obviously partying excessively and using alcohol doesn't fit with the plan. "Safe" limits depend on many factors and need to be defined as to context.

Dr. Jane