While alcohol is available in licensed outlets, a number of procedures and programs are now in place to help prevent alcohol abuse and alcohol-related accidents, and to promote responsible decision making about alcohol. The main active ingredient in alcoholic beverages is ethanol, a depressant that acts upon the central nervous system. In small quantities, alcohol can induce feelings of well-being and relaxation. It also causes people to lose some of their inhibitions - enabling them to speak more openly or be less shy. It is at this stage that alcohol-related accidents can occur.
Intoxication is a state when a person's physical or mental ability is impaired.
Research has shown that as little as one drink can impair a person's ability to do even the simplest of tasks. Fast The Alcohol Is Consumed Slow rates of consumption allow the body to eliminate alcohol that accumulates in the blood system. A full stomach will slow down the rate of absorption of alcohol into the blood system. A heavy person's body water will dilute the same amount of alcohol to a greater extent than the body of a light person. Women tend to be smaller in size and build, and usually have a higher percentage of fat tissue which does not absorb much alcohol.