It may be that having only one drink occasionally is safe, but in general it is better to avoid using alcohol as much as possible. During the first 12 months of the baby's life the brain is still developing and may be damaged by alcohol. Alcohol use can also reduce the milk supply. The effects of one drug may be greatly increased by the other. Using alcohol with other depressant drugs such as sleeping pills can be potentially fatal as the central nervous system may switch off brain and heart activity.
Some people have sex when they have been drinking and regret it when they sober up.
People who have been drinking are also more likely to have unsafe sex that can result in pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases. The risk of road, boating and work-related accidents is increased. Alcohol can affect the condition of skin and hair and the high calorie content of alcoholic drinks can lead to weight gain. But the law is not broken if a person under 18 drinks alcohol while having a meal on a licenced premise with a parent, guardian, husband or wife. Nor is the law broken when alcohol is consumed at home or in someone else's home.