It can be a deadly drug. Over 100,000 deaths a year in the United States are attributed to alcohol use. The devastating effects of alcohol consumption by pregnant women are also well documented. Perhaps the first thing to remember about alcohol is that it is a depressant. Some folks may feel that they are entertaining and stimulating when drinking alcohol, but their nervous system activity is actually being slowed.
Alcohol increases urination, leading to an overall loss of fluids.
It raises visual thresholds, making it more difficult to detect dim lights. The specific effects of alcohol on the drinker reflect several interacting factors. What matters most is the amount of alcohol that gets into a person's bloodstream. Drinking on an empty stomach is more dangerous than drinking while or soon after eating, because the alcohol will be more quickly absorbed. One-tenth of 1 percent alcohol in the blood stream is enough to declare someone legally drunk in most states.