Wandsworth Drug Action Team (DAT)

THE FACTS: Alcohol
Sometimes called: Drink, Booze, different brand names.

The effects:
Feeling relaxed, slurred speech, not being able to walk straight, double vision, feeling 'out of it', memory loss, hangover, throwing up, thirst, putting on weight.

The risks:
Increased blood pressure (could lead to a heart attack), road accidents (don't drink and drive), violence (getting into fights), unwanted or unsafe sex, alcohol blood poisoning. Binge drinking can stress out your liver, mixing with other drugs can lead to death, drinking too much can lead to death.

The law:
It's illegal to sell alcohol to under 18s and it's also illegal for under 18's to buy alcohol.
You can get a criminal record for drunkenness which can make it more difficult to get a job.

For information, support, advice or someone to talk to about alcohol, call: Alcohol Services for South London on (020) 8640 5587.

Safe drinking limits:
The current daily guidelines for sensible drinking are:
men - 3.4 units or less
women - 2.3 units or less

If you choose to drink when pregnant you should drink no more than 1-2 units once or twice a week.

1 unit of alcohol =
half a pint of lager/beer/cider (3.5% ABV)
one 25ml pub measure of spirit (40% ABV)
one small glass of wine (9% ABV)