Common Myths About Alcohol (January 2012) 2
Common Myths About Alcohol (January 2012) 2
Common Myths About Alcohol (January 2012) 2
(January 2012)
MYTH: Switching between beer, wine and spirits will affect you more than sticking to one type
of alcohol.
FACT : Wrong. Your blood alcohol concentration or BAC – the percentage of alcohol in your blood –
is what counts, not the beverages consumed. Alcohol is alcohol.
MYTH: Eating a big meal before you drink will keep you sober.
FACT: Food in your stomach only delays the absorption of alcohol into the bloodstream. A full stomach
doesn’t prevent the effects of alcohol or intoxication.
MYTH: The worst thing that can happen when you drink too much is ending up with a raging hangover.
FACT: If only. For one thing, if you drink a lot of alcohol quickly, it can build up in your body so much
that you can die from alcohol poisoning within only a few hours. As well, you’re more prone to injury,
which can be serious or fatal. You may also end up getting behind the wheel of a car and severely
injuring or killing someone – or yourself, definitely much worse than a hangover.
MYTH: A cold shower and a cup of coffee are good ways to sober up.
FACT: Although they may make you feel clean and awake, nothing sobers you up but time. Coffee is a
stimulant – it’ll keep you awake but won’t sober you up.
MYTH: If someone passes out after drinking, it’s best to let them sleep it off.
FACT: If a friend or a guest passes out, never leave them alone. Have someone call 999 for medical
assistance. Be sure to roll them onto their side, with their head on its side as well, until help comes.
MYTH: Teens can’t become alcoholics because they haven’t been drinking long enough.
FACT: You can develop alcoholism at any age. It depends how much and how often you drink.