The word alcohol refers to a whole family of chemical compounds, not all of which are good to drink. There is rubbing alcohol, for example; also, wood alcohol and methyl alcohol. What all types of alcohol have in common are an oxygen atom and a hydrogen atom linked together in a certain way to form what is called a hydroxyl group. Depending on the construction of this group and the other atoms with which it is linked, a very poisonous substance, such as methyl alcohol, can result; or, a generally nonpoisonous type of alcohol, ethyl alcohol, can be produced. The alcoholic beverages people drink contain ethyl alcohol.
Alcohol is not a food, although it shares some of the properties of food. Like food, it contains calories, which accounts in part for the condition commonly known as "beer belly." Alcohol was considered a food for many years, but now it is understood that alcohol is really a drug. It differs from cocaine, heroin, or other drugs, which must be snorted, smoked, or injected, only in that it goes through the digestive system. Like the more commonly recognized drugs, alcohol acts on the central nervous system, causing certain portions of the brain to be overactive and to suppress unpleasant feelings or anxieties. Thus it is really an anesthetic. Also, like the more commonly recognized drugs, alcohol can build up a dependence. As with other drugs, this dependence is psychological at first, but then it can become physical.
Abuses of Alcohol
Although studies of adolescent substance use increasingly emphasize the importance of the context surrounding behavior, few studies have examined the actual settings in which adolescents use alcohol and drugs. Research regarding the context of adolescent substance use not only enhances our understanding of how adolescents experience alcohol and drug use, but also......
