Chapter 5
Alcohol

Overview

Last month, 109 million Americans had at least one drink. Alcohol is the oldest and most widely used psychoactive drug. Beer, wine, and distilled liquors are legal in most countries. This chapter surveys the chemistry of alcohol, its pharmacology, and physiological/psychological effects. For many people, alcohol causes more problems than any other psychoactive drug in terms of health effects, legal liabilities, domestic/social violence, and crime. Some of the effects include fetal alcohol syndrome, cirrhosis of the liver, and drunk-driving arrests. This chapter also looks at the epidemiology of alcohol abuse and examines its effect on various groups, including underrepresented ethnic groups.