Alcohol Intoxication Alcohol is the most widely used and abused drug today. Alcohol intoxication, also known as drunkenness, is so common that it fails to receive the attention and respect it deserves. Ethanol is classified as a drug because it depresses the central nervous system, affecting physical and mental activities. Alcohol is addictive. What starts out as social drinking may, and frequently does, result in alcoholism.
Alcohol affects the body in stages.
First, there is a feeling of relaxation and well-being, followed by a gradual disruption of coordination, resulting in an inability to accurately and efficiently perform normal duties and activities. Continued drinking depresses body functions enough to cause difficulty breathing, loss of consciousness, coma, and death. If you choose to drink, do so in moderation. If you can't control your drinking, get help before it's too late. Smell of alcohol on breath.