Alcohol and Public Health FAQ

Introduction to alcohol

• What is alcohol?
• How does alcohol affect a person?
• Why do some people react differently to alcohol than others?
• What is a standard drink in the United States?
• Is beer or wine safer to drink than hard liquor?

Drinking levels

• What does moderate drinking mean?
• Is it safe to drink alcohol and drive?
• What does it mean to be above the legal limit for drinking?
• How do I know if it’s okay to drink?

Excessive alcohol use

• What do you mean by heavy drinking?
• What is binge drinking?
• What is the difference between alcoholism and alcohol abuse?
• What does it mean to get drunk?

Drinking problems

• How do I know if I have a drinking problem?
• What can I do if I or someone I know has a drinking problem?
• What health problems are associated with excessive alcohol use?

Special populations

• I’m young, is drinking bad for my health?
• Is it okay to drink when pregnant?

 What is a standard drink in the world?

• Standard alcoholic drink in the world

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FAQ References

1. U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In: Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010. Chapter 3 – Foods and Food Components to Reduce   [PDF-967KB].  7th Edition, Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office; 2010, p. 30–32.
2. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Available at http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/.
3. National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. NIAAA council approves definition of binge drinking  [PDF-1.6MB]. NIAAA Newsletter 2004;3:3.
4. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fourth Edition (DSM-IV), published by the American Psychiatric Association, Washington D.C., 1994.
5. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. Available at http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/fas/default.htm.
6. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Substance Abuse Treatment Facility Locator. Available at http://www.samhsa.gov/treatment/treatment_public_i.aspx.
7. Bonnie RJ and O’Connell ME, editors. National Research Council and Institute of Medicine. Reducing Underage Drinking: A Collective Responsibility. Committee on Developing a Strategy to Reduce and Prevent Underage Drinking. Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press; 2004.
8. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Surgeon General's Call to Action to Prevent and Reduce Underage Drinking. Rockville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: 2007.
9. Hingson RW, Heeren T, Jamanka A, Howland J. Age of onset and unintentional injury involvement after drinking. JAMA 2000;284(12):1527–1533.
10. Hingson RW, Heeren T, Winter M, Wechsler H. Magnitude of alcohol-related mortality and morbidity among U.S. college students ages 18–24: Changes from 1998 to 2001. Annu Rev Public Health 2005;26:259–79.
11. Levy DT, Mallonee S, Miller TR, Smith GS, Spicer RS, Romano EO, Fisher DA. Alcohol involvement in burn, submersion, spinal cord, and brain injuries. Medical Science Monitor 2004;10(1):CR17–24.
12. Office of Applied Studies. The NSDUH Report: Alcohol Dependence or Abuse and Age at First Use. Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration; 2004.
13. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. A Comprehensive Plan for Preventing and Reducing Underage Drinking  [PDF-513KB]. Washington, DC; 2006.
14. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Alcohol-Related Disease Impact (ARDI). Atlanta, GA: CDC.
15. Miller JW, Naimi TS, Brewer RD, Jones SE. Binge drinking and associated health risk behaviors among high school students. Pediatrics 2007;119:76–85.
16. Department of Health and Human Services. U.S. Surgeon General Releases Advisory on Alcohol Use in Pregnancy; urges women who are pregnant or who may become pregnant to abstain from alcohol. Washington, DC; 2005.