Alcohol and Drug Abuse in Teens: Overview

There are four physical factors which influence the degree to which alcohol will influence the human body. They are:

1. Amount: Alcohol’s effect is proportional to the amount ingested. In other words, the more a minor drinks, the more effects he or she will experience.


2. Body weight: Alcohol is a water-soluble substance. Heavier people have more water in their bodies. Consequently, they are able to consume greater quantities of alcohol than lighter-weighted individuals because the alcohol in their systems is more diluted.

Women, on the other hand, have higher concentrations of fat and less water in their bodies than men. As a result of this difference, a woman who weighs as much as a man and who has consumed the same number of drinks as the man will have a higher blood alcohol level than the man.

1. Food: Nourishment slows passage of alcohol from the stomach to the small intestine, thus the effect of the alcohol is also slowed.


2. Attitude: A minor who expects or wishes to get drunk is more likely to get drunk, regardless of the amount of alcohol consumed.

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