Substance Use & Abuse
Limit alcohol to one to two drinks a day.
Alcohol is a depressant and the most widely used legal drug in the United States. About one in 13 adults are alcoholics or alcohol abusers. Alcohol is a leading cause of traffic-related deaths for 15 to 24 year olds and a trigger for one in four suicides and about 50 percent of spousal abuse.
Enough is enough.
Two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women and persons age 65 and older is enough to release tension. Drinking too much can slur your speech, decrease your ability to think clearly, and put you at greater risk of having a traffic accident, if driving.
One drink equals 1-1/2 ounces of 80-proof hard liquor, 12 ounces of beer, or 4-5 ounces of wine.
Use alcohol wisely:
* Alcohol and some prescribed drugs don’t mix and can sometimes be fatal. Read labels and ask your doctor before combining the two.
* Know your drinking limit and stick to it.
* Drink slowly.
* After you have one to two drinks with alcohol, drink something alcohol-free.
* Don’t drink and drive.
* Always designate a driver who will not be drinking.
Don’t drink alcohol if:
* You are pregnant.
* You are under the legal drinking age.
* You are driving a car, a boat, a plane or operating machines.
* You are alcohol or drug dependent.
* You have hepatitis.
Action Step
If you order alcohol when you eat out, ask to have it served with, not before, the meal. Alternate sips of alcohol and water. Designate a sober driver. Buzzed driving is drunk driving.
© American Institute for Preventive Medicine
