The Myths and Facts Of Drinking Alcohol
You probably see and hear a lot about alcohol from watching TV or seeing it in the movies, from music, social media, and from your friends. But do you know what the real facts are? Here are a few of the common myths and facts about alcohol use.
MYTH: Alcohol isn’t as dangerous as other drugs.
FACT: Your brain does not stop developing until you roughly reach the age of 25, and drinking can affect how your brain develops. As an added note, alcohol can increase your risk for many diseases, including cancer. It can also cause you to have accidents and get injured, sending you to the emergency room. These accidents are not just while driving.
MYTH: Everyone else will drink alcohol. You need to drink to fit in.
FACT: Don’t believe the hype you may hear. Most young people don’t drink alcohol like you may think. There is research shows that roughly 85% of those younger than 20 years of age haven’t had a drink in the past month.
MYTH: Drinking alcohol will help to make people like you.
FACT: There’s nothing people like about stumbling around, possibly passing out, or puking on yourself, even with small amounts of alcohol. Drinking alcohol can also cause your breath to smell bad.
MYTH: Drinking is a good way to loosen up at parties.
FACT: There are much better ways to loosen up at parties without involving alcohol. Alcohol can make you act silly when you’re not trying to or say things you really shouldn’t say. Adding too much alcohol may tempt you to do things you wouldn’t normally do.
MYTH: Beer and wine are much safer than liquor.
FACT: Alcohol is alcohol. Typically, a 12-ounce glass of beer, a 5-ounce glass of wine, and a shot of liquor (1.5 ounces) all have the same amount of alcohol in them.
MYTH: You can sober up much quicker by taking a cold shower or drinking a lot of coffee.
FACT There really is no magic cure to help you sober up after consuming alcohol. One drink can take at least an hour to leave your body and sometimes takes even longer, depending on your gender and body size. Truth be told, there’s nothing you can do to make that happen quicker.
MYTH: There’s no reason to wait until you’re of legal age to drink.
FACT: When you’re young, drinking alcohol can make learning new things a little more difficult to do. People who begin drinking before they reach the legal age are more likely to develop a drinking problem at some point throughout their lives, compared to those who begin drinking at age 21 or beyond.
Listening to others to gain knowledge about alcohol and its effects is not necessarily the way to go. Trusting the experts would definitely be in your best interest. There’s nothing that can stop you from consuming alcohol at any events you may be attending, but it’s important to understand how much you can consume before it’s too risky to drive afterward.
If you made having a single-use or individual breathalyzer with you, it would leave the guesswork at home. Knowing if you should take alternative transportation or wait until you’re safe and legal to drive makes it a lot better at the end of the night.
Our friends at Not Your Child Corp have these breathalyzers ready to go for you. They are easy to use and very inexpensive. Keep them with you in your vehicle so you have them when you need them. Making it part of the new normal for you and your loved ones can be a lifesaver. Literally.
Scott Marshall has spent over 30 years promoting road safety in many jurisdictions. He has been a road safety journalist since 2005. Scott was also an on-air judge on the Discovery Network’s Canada’s Worst Driver during their first 3 seasons on the air. Not YourChildCorp. is proud to have Scott @Safedriver as a frequent contributor, his insights are irreplaceable.
