Alcohol (drug)

Alcohol, is (an ingredient or) the active ingredient in alcoholic drinks such as beer, wine, and distilled spirits (hard liquor). Alcohol is sometimes called by its chemical name ethanol.

Alcohol is a central nervous system (CNS) depressant. This means that alcohol lowers electrical activity of neurons in the brain. This causes drunkenness. Alcohol can also cause euphoria, decreased anxiety, sociability, sedation, and lowered cognitive, memory, motor, and sensory function.

Related pages
 Rum-running
 Pigovian taxes
 Sin taxes
 Binge drinking
 Drug-related crime

References

Further reading


Other websites

 The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism maintains a database of alcohol-related health effects. ETOH Archival Database (1972–2003) Alcohol and Alcohol Problems Science Database.

 WHO fact sheet on alcohol
 ChEBI – biology related
 Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes signal transduction pathway: KEGG – human alcohol addiction

Category:Alcohol
Category:Alcohols
Category:Analgesics
Category:Ethanol
Category:Psychoactive drugs
Category:Anesthetics
Category:Carcinogens