Frequently Asked Questions

One of the most common causes of death from drinking alcohol is alcohol poisoning. Binge drinking can be defined as drinking more than 5 standard drinks for men and four drinks for women, over a 2-hour period. A standard drink is defined as 12 oz. beer, 1.5 oz. of liquor or 4–5 ounces of wine.

Young adults who drink a lot a few times a year are just as likely to experience problems in their lives as those who drink every day. In addition to the dangers of alcohol poisoning, binge drinking also puts people at risk to cause car accidents, sexual assaults and other destructive behaviors.

Many teens feel that alcohol is safe because it is legal and widely available. But the truth is…over 100,000 people a year die from alcohol-related deaths. If you drink too much alcohol over one period you can die from it. The usual cause of death is damage to parts of the brain that control breathing.

Before you drink, ask yourself: "Is this how I want to end a fun night out?”

YES, depending on the concentration of smoke in the air, the size of the room you are in and the amount of time you spend in the vicinity of someone who is smoking marijuana. You can be affected by second-hand smoke. Depending on your particular physical make-up, you may retain traces of marijuana in your system for up to 30 days.

While some may argue that weed is safer than alcohol, research shows that teens do not typically use alcohol or weed; they use both, and often at the same time. Alcohol and weed is a dangerous combination.

The biggest impact of mixing marijuana and alcohol is the significant increase in impairment to judgment. The level of intoxication and secondary effects one experiences can be unpredictable. Some people may be more prone to episodes of lightheadedness and fatigue.

Marijuana is an anti-emetic which means it is used to treat nausea and vomiting in medical situations. Which is why it may be easier to drink alcohol until dangerously high blood alcohol levels are reached. This is a danger because the normal body defense of vomiting when drunk may be muted by the marijuana.

Remember, it’s not a matter choosing one over the other, it’s a matter of both can be harmful, whether you are smoking pot or drinking alcohol.

Long-term studies of high school students show that few young people use other illegal drugs without first using marijuana. With that said, most marijuana smokers do not go on to use other illegal drugs. For some, marijuana is a gateway drug that can lead to other drug use.

The risk of addiction varies from person to person, just like other conditions and diseases. Common risk factors that can lead to addiction are:

• Genetics (your family history)

• Age when you first starting drinking or taking drugs

• Your social environment (Who are you hanging out with, do they use drugs
and do they have easy access to drugs?)

• Type of drugs used

• Traumatic life experiences including neglect, abuse or other
disturbing experiences

But the key factors to consider are:

• Is there addiction in your family?

• And when did you start drinking or using?