Teenagers and alcohol FAQs

Alcohol is a very powerful, addictive drug that many adults enjoy in low doses, but it is damaging or even lethal in high doses. Many adults drink moderately and are safe. Yet other people drink too much and get hurt. For under 18s, not only can alcohol be very harmful, it's also illegal.

Check the following to update your knowledge of alcohol and teenage drinking. Share this information with a friend, especially if you know someone who is an underage drinker.

Q: What is alcohol?

A: The scientific name for alcohol that people drink is ethyl alcohol or ethanol. Beer, wine and spirits all contain ethyl alcohol. Other types of alcohol such as rubbing alcohol (isopropyl alcohol) are poisonous if ingested.

Q: What happens when you drink alcohol?

A: After you drink an alcoholic drink such as beer or wine, the alcohol enters your bloodstream from your stomach and small intestine. From there it travels to your brain. There, it slows reaction time, makes you less coordinated, impairs your vision and, even at relatively low doses, leads to unclear thinking and problems making sound judgements.

Q: Is alcohol addictive?

A: Yes, alcohol is highly addictive. Drinkaware.co.uk says alcohol dependence affects 4% of people aged 16-65 in England. This means they need to drink alcohol in order to function normally, and their drinking causes problems in their lives.

Alcohol addiction can begin at any time in someone's life, but starting to drink when you are a teenager increases the risk for addiction. 

Q: Is one type of alcoholic drink safer than another?

A: No. All alcoholic drinks contain alcohol, and all can be just as dangerous. The more alcohol you drink, the more you will be impaired. Beer, wine and spirits all contain different amounts of alcohol. Beer is between 3% and 5% alcohol; wine is about 12%; and spirits are usually about 40% alcohol. Half a pint of beer has a similar amount of alcohol as one small glass of wine or one ‘measure’ of a spirit.

Q: Why do people drink alcohol?

A: Drinking alcohol is a social activity and most people drink with friends. Because alcohol makes people feel less inhibited, they feel more at ease socialising after an alcoholic drink. People also drink just because other people are drinking. For many people it feels good to be doing what everybody else is doing. However, drinking just because everybody else is can lead to problems, especially if people are drinking too much.

On the other hand, many people enjoy the taste of alcoholic beverages. When consumed by adults in small to moderate amounts, especially with meals, some studies have found alcohol may be good for the heart.