When it comes to drugs and alcohol, what you don't know cannot only hurt you, it can kill you. Hartwick College believes that the better informed you are about the health risks associated with the use of illicit drugs and the abuse of alcohol, the more likely you are to avoid these substances altogether or to seek help if you become the victim of a chemical dependence. Therefore, the following is a summary of the various health risks associated with alcohol abuse and use of specific types of drugs. This summary is not intended to be an exhaustive or final statement of all possible consequences to your health of substance abuse, but rather is intended to increase your awareness of the grave risks involved in this kind of behavior. Alcohol Use and Abuse Alcohol is the most widely used and abused drug in the United States.
Alcohol consumption has acute effects on the body and causes a number of marked changes in behavior.
Even low doses significantly impair the judgment and coordination required to drive a car safely, increasing the likelihood that the driver will be involved in an accident. Low to moderate doses of alcohol also increase the incidence of a variety of aggressive acts, including spouse and child abuse, as well as dangerous risk-taking behavior. Moderate to high does of alcohol cause marked impairments in higher mental functions, severely altering a person's ability to learn and remember information. Very high doses cause respiratory depression and death. If combined with other depressants of the central nervous system, much lower doses of alcohol can be fatal.