Example Of Alcohol Is The Deadliest Drug Research Paper

A distinctive feature of any drug is its effect on the human psyche. Drugs cause a special mental state and trigger addiction. Alcohol also refers to these substances since it possesses similar properties. The euphoria that comes after alcohol consumption is characterized by a weakening of negative emotions and enhancing of positive emotions. People get what they need. Some feel relaxation, and permissiveness, others gain confidence or serenity. The person in a state of alcohol intoxication loses touch with reality. Morbid desire to retrieve the same feeling results in the formation of alcohol dependence. In other words, the person suffers from alcoholism that leads to death in some cases.
A particular threat to modern society is the adolescent alcoholism, which develops in particularly rapid pace. Energy drinks that came into fashion play a significant role in the formation of adolescent addiction. All of them do great harm not only to adolescent, but also to the adult organism. They contain worldwide prohibited substances. For example, sodium benzoate damages DNA until its complete deactivation, and also causes cirrhosis, Parkinson's disease, and other diseases; caffeine, which heavily affects the kidneys in combination with alcohol. Furthermore, the death is possible from caffeine-alcohol dehydration in combination with strong physical exertion e.g. at the disco. Such cases were registered in the United States and Sweden (Hanson, Venturelli & Fleckenstein, 2014).
So-called energy drinks provoke the development of alcohol dependence in adolescents and young adults. Relatively low alcohol content (9%) fools the body. As a result, an organism does not warn of danger through the feeling of discomfort and vomiting. Teens often do not even realize that they are already caught in a vicious circle of alcohol dependence. Short-term after-effects of the alcohol consumption include vomiting, brain cramping or having a hangover. Overconsumption within a short period can lead to the alcohol intoxication at the best case, and at worst it can lead even to death.
Alcohol overdosing comes faster than most people realize, especially when alcohol drinks are consumed in combination with other drugs. Every organ in the human body endures a harmful impact of alcohol substances. As a result, alcoholics most commonly die from various cancers and liver diseases. In addition, alcoholism is associated with a number of mental health problems. Besides brain shrinkage and brain damage caused by alcohol consumption, alcoholics experience anxiety disorders, social phobias, and suicidal attacks.
Alcohol overconsumption is responsible for a range of hazardous and deadly accidents such as automobile and boating accidents, fires, and drowning. According to the National Highway Safety and Traffic Administration, almost half of car accidents were committed by alcohol consumers (Chrzan, 2013). Drunk driving is believed to be a leading cause of death among Americans. The USA government statistics reports the extensive impact of alcohol on America Society (McGovern & White, 2013).
Scientists from New York University compared the harm of alcohol consumption and cannabis smoking. They came to the conclusion that marijuana is safer than alcohol drinks after comparing the effects of smoking marijuana and drinking alcohol. The researchers found that teenagers put themselves at risk of getting into car accidents or involving into administrative and criminal violations due to the systematic use of alcohol. Smoking marijuana is, on the contrary, makes it easier to reach a compromise in the adolescent company. In case of alcohol intoxication, the probability of car accident occurrence is 13 times higher, whereas, in case of cannabis smoking, the probability of a car accident is only three times higher. Systematic alcohol consumption brings more negative effects in comparison to systematic smoking of marijuana (Hanson, Venturelli & Fleckenstein, 2014). However, the scientists did not take into account the combined action of these substances.
Nowadays alcohol abuse is widespread among American people. It is perfectly legal for adults to consume, unlike cocaine and heroin. One of thirteen American adult is an alcoholic. It is eventually almost 14 million residents of the USA (Stimmel, 2013). A few more million consume alcohol regularly and in such large quantities that they are on the verge of alcoholism. It’s hard to find greater evil than alcohol, which causes harm to health of millions of people in such a cruel way and destroys all human tissues and organs (especially the cerebral cortex), mind and personality.
Alcoholism is a great social evil, which “eats” a person from the inside, causing enormous damage to society. “A national disaster,” “a collective suicide of the nation,” “a pattern of a mankind disaster” are phrases associated with the alcohol abuse. The guile of this poison is that the severe consequences of alcohol addiction come out gradually and imperceptibly. In addition, alcoholic lifestyle as the opposite of a healthy lifestyle is one of the most important factors leading to premature death.
Alcohol as a drug is pernicious in all types and at any dose to the human body since it has the same effect as morphine or marijuana. It creates an illusion of happiness, while bringing irreparable harm, like any other poison. 48 million Americans drink pernicious alcohol at least once a week. Still about 52 million residents do not deny themselves the pleasure to drink. 32% of heavy drinkers fuddle at least once a year (McGovern & White, 2013). 
The scientists think that alcohol is the deadliest drug in the world. It increases the probability of accidents by times. More often alcohol becomes a reason of various issues that can harm not only the users, but the whole society in some cases. Alcohol is a cause of 500 thousands of various types of injuries and 70 thousand of sexual violence each year. According to statistics, 21% of offenders committed their crimes while being intoxicated, and more than 40% of murders were committed after alcohol consumption (McGovern & White, 2013).
Although it is forbidden to sell alcohol and cigarettes to Americans under the age of 21 years, most of the people who consume large amounts of alcohol are young people. Most American teens drink alcohol for the first time at the age of 13(Stimmel, 2013). About half the students drink alcohol at least once a month in high school. If the teenager begins to drink regularly under the age of 15 years, it increases the chances of becoming an alcoholic fourfold. The teenagers usually drink more than some adults and prefer to use the stronger drinks. The girls become alcohol addicts faster than the boys, even though, the girls require less dose of alcohol.
It is interesting that the more Americans consume alcoholic drinks, the more they believe that they have perfect health. 37% of US residents, who consume alcohol at least once a week, believe that they have an excellent health. (Chrzan, 2013). Unfortunately, today the mass media tries to present people the commercial of alcohol as full and tempting as possible. People enthusiastically drink, almost mystically hoping that a glass of wine is the best way to fulfill their cherished desires. Children become the witnesses, and then they consume alcohol because they imitate their parents on a subconscious level.
Even though society believes that alcohol is the most acceptable drug, in fact, it is also very hazardous. Its danger can manifest itself in three forms. Firstly, alcohol is a highly addictive substance that provokes alcoholism. Secondly, it triggers a range of mental and physical health problems. Thirdly, alcohol is a cause of a variety of violent crimes every year including domestic violence, rape, and murders. The addictive nature of alcohol is the initial cause that promotes the emergence of all troubles related to alcohol.

References

Chrzan J. (2013). Alcohol, Social Drinking in Cultural Context. New York: Routledge.
Hanson, G., Venturelli, P., & Fleckenstein, A. (2014). Drugs and Society (12th Ed.). Massachusetts: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
McGovern T.F., & White W.L. (2013). Alcohol Problems in the United States: Twenty Years of Treatment Perspective. New York: Routledge.
Stimmel, B. (2013). Alcoholism, Drug Addiction and the Road to Recovery: Life on the Edge. New York: Routledge.