Why Teens Should be Alcohol-Free

• Binge drinking can lead to death from respiratory arrest or from vomiting and choking-never let a friend "sleep it off"
• Alcohol-related motor vehicle crashes, falls, drowning, and other injuries kill more than 2000 U.S. teens every year
• Teens can become dependent on alcohol in as little as six months

Alcohol is addictive

• If there is alcoholism in your family, you have a higher risk of becoming an alcoholic, and alcoholism is a life-long disease
• Alcohol causes cancer & organ damage all over the body
• Alcohol causes cancer of the mouth, throat, breast, and liver as well as heart disease, liver disease, lung disease and brain cell damage

Alcohol is a depressant that slows the activity of the brain

Alcohol impairs judgement and alters behavior, increasing the chances of:

• having unprotected sex, causing pregnancy and spreading disease including AIDS
• getting into fights and becoming violent
• committing murder and suicide
• being the victim of or committing sexual assaults, including date rape
• driving drunk or riding with a drunk driver
• making a fool of yourself
• using other drugs

Alcohol impairs driving ability by:

• slowing reaction time
• decreasing coordination and altering vision

Alcohol is a toxin that affects every organ of the body

Alcohol quickly enters the bloodstream and circulates throughout the body, causing:

• lower heart rate, slower breathing, passing out, then coma and respiratory arrest
• nausea and vomiting, then choking to death
• loss of balance and poor coordination leading to serious injuries or death
• bad breath, heavy sweating,and weight gain (alcohol is high in empty calories)
• blurry or double vision
• black outs and memory loss
• hangovers with headaches and upset stomachs

Girls and those with lower body weight are affected by alcohol even faster.