Effects
Alcohol is absorbed into the bloodstream and starts to take effect within five to ten minutes. The effects may last from one to several hours depending on how much you drink, your body size, your gender and how much food you have eaten. Eating loads of food doesn’t sober you up; it only delays the absorption of the alcohol.

There are many good reasons why people under 18 should not drink alcoholic drinks. Teenagers and young people’s bodies are still developing and alcohol has a destructive effect on growing bodies. It lowers brain activity and damages the part of the brain responsible for memory, learning and vocabulary.

People over 18 can legally drink alcohol but it should be remembered that alcohol can damage your health. So drink should be moderate and responsible. Drinking too much alcohol isn’t good for anyone. Alcohol affects your co-ordination and reasoning. If you are drunk you won’t be able to think straight and you may slur your words, making it difficult for those around you to understand what you are saying. Some people get violent or depressed when they are drunk.

Drinking a lot of alcohol can damage your liver, which can prove fatal. It could also lead to alcohol poisoning, where you could end up in a coma or, in extreme cases, dead.

Long-term alcohol abuse can cause stomach ulcers, stomach cancer and heart disease. If you drink regularly you can build up a tolerance which means you will need to drink larger amounts to get the same feeling. It’s very easy to become dependent on alcohol and some people use it as a crutch instead of dealing with emotional or stress related problems. Others can become alcoholics and be physically dependent on alcohol.

The dangers of alcohol are doubled if you mix it with other drugs as it can exaggerate their effects. If you mix alcohol and drugs you also risk overdosing, passing out and choking on your own vomit.

The Law
It is illegal to sell alcohol to anyone under 18.