by ccs » Sat Apr 25, 2009 10:22 pm
this is a company wide e-mail that was sent out in a very large comp. here in Fla. someone shared it with me so I thought I would share it here
Every year more money is spent promoting the use of alcohol than any other product. Perhaps through its elaborate and creative marketing, the most basic, yet important fact about alcohol is often overlooked – alcohol is a drug – the most widely abused psychoactive* drug in the world.
*psychoactive is fancy word for : drugs that alter thinking, perception, emotions, or consciousness.
Alcohol comes in many forms, beer, wine, liquor. The main ingredient of any alcoholic drink = ethanol* Also known as ethyl alcohol or grain alcohol.
*yes, it’s that same 10% ingredient in gasoline- found on the labels at the gas stations – yuk!
Alcohol is a depressant *– it slows your body down, making it difficult to think clearly. Alcohol can also make people aggressive and violent.
*as opposed to a stimulant, like caffeine, that speeds you up…
Because it reduces inhibitions, drinking alcohol may make you act in a way that would embarrass you under normal circumstances , and can lead to dangerous behaviors, like driving under the influence.
Drinking too much (binge drinking)* can cause alcohol poisoning, which can lead to coma and even death. Alcohol use increases the risks of liver damage, mouth, throat, esophagus and larynx cancer and heart disease.
· A 12 ounce bottle of beer, a 5ounce glass of wine and a 1.5 ounce shot of liquor have the same amount of alcohol. Drinking more than 2 standard drinks from above daily may be a sign of alcohol abuse and /or early warning sign of the development of alcoholism. Bingers often consume 6-8 drinks in one evening!
Alcoholism is a disease – a chronic, progressive, fatal disease if not
treated.
(Source: Centers for Disease Prevention-US Dept of Health and Human Services )
