Alcohol is the drug of choice among youth. In South Africa drug and alcohol abuse is double the world norm. That makes us a hard drinking country.
What is considered heavy drinking?
Men: 4 or more drinks / day or more than 14 drinks / week
Women: 3 or more drinks / day or more than 7 drinks / week
About one in four people who exceed these limits already has alcoholism or alcohol abuse, and the rest are at greater risk for developing these and other problems. Individual risks vary. People can have problems drinking less than these amounts, particularly if they drink too quickly. Alcohol can sometimes have lethal consequences.
Fastfacts:
Alcohol is a toxic substance (POISON) to your body.
18-22 years old’s are the group of heaviest abuse.
Studies show that people who start drinking before the age of 15 are four times more likely to become alcoholics. Alcohol abuse in South Africa is linked to about 60 percent of all crimes committed.
It includes rape, robbery, murder, assault, domestic violence, sexual abuse of children and reckless driving.
It also leads to unsafe sexual practices, children born with fetal alcohol syndrome and child neglect.
It is responsible for over half of all motor vehicle accidents.
Binge drinking among the youth is common drinking more than 5 drinks at one sitting.
The liver can only process one drink per hour.
Alcohol affects more than 17.5 million South Africans.
Effects of alcohol abuse are:
Appetite changes, weight loss, eczema, headaches, sleep disturbance, poor school and college performance, failure to form and maintain friendships, tendency to depression or aggressive behaviour, greater likelihood to move on to other drugs.
Just for today:
I will depend on the love and inner strength I draw from the God of my own understanding.
The AA Estcourt branch hosts meetings every Tuesday at Forderville Primary School from 7pm to 8pm. Contact Desigan on 082 849 3014.
The AA Winterton branch hosts meetings every Thursday at the Springfield Church opposite the police station from 7pm to 8pm. Contact Dolly on 071 688 5330 or Virgilo on 079 688 0432.
