9781422270523

THE YOUNG ADULT DRUG LIBRARY: AN EDUCATION FOR TODAY

BY ERIC BENAC

MASON CREST M I A M I

PO Box 221876, Hollywood, FL 33022 (866) MCP-BOOK (toll-free) • www.masoncrest.com

Copyright © 2024 by Mason Crest, an imprint of National Highlights, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Printed in the United States of America First printing 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Series ISBN: 978-1-4222-4762-4 Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-4222-4765-5 ebook ISBN: 978-1-4222-7052-3 Cataloging-in-Publication Data on file with the Library of Congress Developed and Produced by National Highlights, Inc. Project Manager: Andrew Morkes Cover and Interior Design: Tara Raymo • CreativelyTara Layout: Priceless Digital Media, LLC Publisher’s Note: Websites listed in this book were active at the time of publication. The publisher is not responsible for websites that have changed their address or discontinued operation since the date of publication. The publisher reviews and updates the websites each time the book is reprinted.

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Introduction............................................................... 6 Greg and Mary’s Misconceptions about Alcohol ............ 10 Chapter 1: What Is Alcohol?.......................................15 The Dangers of Underage Drinking ............................. 30 Chapter 2: The Negative and Positive Physical Effects of Alcohol............................35 Ursula’s Story ........................................................... 52 Chapter 3: The Negative and Positive Mental Effects of Alcohol...............................57 Gary’s Empty Life of Drinking ..................................... 68 Chapter 4: Treating Addiction to Alcohol.....................73 Series Glossary of Key Terms.....................................89 Further Reading.......................................................92 Internet Resources...................................................93 Index....................................................................... 94 Author’s Biography and Credits.................................96 Words to Understand: These words with their easy-to understand definitions will increase the reader’s understanding of the text while building vocabulary skills. Sidebars: This boxed material within the main text allows readers to build knowledge, gain insights, explore possibilities, and broaden their perspectives by weaving together additional information to provide realistic and holistic perspectives. Educational Videos: Readers can view videos by scanning our QR codes, providing them with additional educational content to supplement the text. Examples include news coverage, moments in history, speeches, iconic sports moments, and much more! Series Glossary of Key Terms: This back-of-the-book glossary contains terminology used throughout this series. Words found here increase the reader’s ability to read and comprehend higher-level books and articles in this field.

Drug abuse remains a major problem in the United States and in other countries. In 2019, 13 percent of people aged 12 years and over reported that they had used an illegal drug in the past month, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Abuse of prescription drugs, such as painkillers, is also a serious issue. Abusing drugs can have serious effects on one’s physical and mental health. It can also be deadly. One example is the rising number of drug overdoses, which have been fueled by the growing use and spread of the deadly opioid fentanyl. Nearly 100,000 Americans died from fentanyl overdoses from June 2020 to June 2021, according to the CDC. Another example is the ongoing issue of alcohol abuse. Excessive alcohol use was responsible for more than 140,000 deaths in the United States each year from 2015 to 2019, according to the CDC. As a young person, you may have a lot of questions about drugs, addiction, and therapy as a result of the constant flow of information from your friends, parents, teachers, coaches, social media, and the news media. It can be confusing, because some of this information is accurate, and some is incorrect. Your questions might include: How are drugs grown or manufactured? What are the negative physical and mental effects of drug use and abuse? What are the legal penalties for possessing illegal drugs? How do you know whether someone is addicted to drugs? What are some treatment options for people who are addicted to drugs? The Young Adult Drug Library series provides answers to these and other questions about illegal and misused prescription drugs, addiction, and therapy. Each title spotlights a major drug or type of drug (such as painkillers); discusses the negative

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Consuming alcohol is a regular part of the lives of many people in the United States and other countries. With moderation, drinking alcohol can create feelings of relaxation and lessen the chance of developing some conditions, such as heart disease.

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Excessive use of alcohol can result in intoxication and cause people to pass out. It can also cause negative physical and mental health issues over the long term.

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physical and mental effects of the addiction on the addict, as well as its effects on family and other loved ones; and provides an overview of treatment strategies for the addiction. Stories of those who are battling drug addiction are also featured in order to humanize these issues and to help readers better understand that anyone can become addicted to drugs, but also that recovery is possible.

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GREG AND MARY’S MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT ALCOHOL

It seemed like a match made in heaven. Mary and Greg were neighbors growing up who started dating in high school. Their interests were similar, they had the same sense of humor, and they never argued. Both were athletic. Mary was the class president, and Greg was the vice president. Both were good people. In spite of being very popular, they were not mean to and did not pick on the younger students. Greg liked to volunteer at his local church with children from broken homes. Mary liked to spend time with her younger siblings and provided a good role model for them. But nobody realized that the two of them had a secret hobby hidden from everyone else. Greg worked at a local supermarket, and once a week he would create a fake sale for a fifth of vodka before he left for the day. He would pay his money to the cash register to make it impossible for his boss to notice, and smuggle the bottle out after work. Sometimes Mary would also have her sister get her a 12-pack of beer to augment the vodka. Then Greg and Mary would drive about 60 miles up to Greg’s family’s vacation home (if no one was staying there) on Saturday morning and drink all day. Sometimes they’d invite a group of friends up to the vacation home to party. If they couldn’t go to the vacation home, they’d find other ways to drink together.

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The Young Adult Drug Library: Alcohol

Greg and Mary had started doing this when they were 16, and Greg got his license. Mary first had the idea after hearing her parents talk about spending time together and getting drunk on vacation. “I think that would be fun for us to do,” she said. “It would be kind of mature you know, a little rebellious” Greg loved the idea and set

Greg and Mary didn’t realize—or didn’t want to admit to themselves—that they were breaking the law by drinking alcohol while under age 21, that they were acting unethically by lying to their parents about their activities, and that they were damaging their physical and mental health by drinking.

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Greg and Mary’s Misconceptions about Alcohol

up the system. It worked perfectly for them for several years. However, Greg started to notice something in his senior year that concerned him. When they weren’t drinking at the cabin or at some other location, he was starting to really crave alcohol. He fantasized about it during sports practice and had a hard time thinking about anything else. After talking about it with Mary, he realized that they both had the same

Greg and Mary were so desperate to consume alcohol that they’d drink in public if they couldn’t do so at the vacation home.

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The Young Adult Drug Library: Alcohol

problem. That thought troubled them, but they figured that it was normal as people grow up. “My dad is like that,” Greg said at the cabin as he poured the two of them straight vodka on ice. “He has to have at least a case of Miller Lite in the house at all times, or he freaks out. Mom has to go out and get it for him, because after work he’s usually too trashed to go out himself. I think that’s just what happens when you get older. I mean, Mom freaks out when she doesn’t have wine.” “I think you’re right,” Mary said, sipping her drink. “My older sister Greta is the same way. She says that her dorm room always has a 12-pack of beer in the fridge and two bottles of vodka. Before Greta goes to her class, she slams either a beer or a shot of vodka. She says everybody does it. So really, I don’t think we have anything to worry about.” “Yes,” said Greg, finishing his vodka in one gulp and pouring another, “as long as we get our homework done, go to work, and don’t get pulled over drinking and driving, I don’t see what the problem is, you know? My dad’s had at least 10 beers every day for the last 30 years, and he’s fine. I think you’re an adult when you can finally hold your own liquor. There’s nothing wrong with us.” Unfortunately, both Greg and Mary had fallen victim to the same misconceptions that had caused their parents to become alcoholics. These ideas are prevalent in societies around the world and mask the true impact that alcohol abuse has on so many people. Just because a person hasn’t gone to rehab, that doesn’t mean that they can’t be severely addicted to alcohol.

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Greg and Mary’s Misconceptions about Alcohol

WORDS TO UNDERSTAND

delirium tremens: a series of symptoms caused by drinking excessive amounts of alcohol; symptoms include confusion, shaking, shivering, sweating, irregular heart rate, and even hallucinations fermentation: a metabolic process that changes various substances into other items, such as how yeast breaks down sugar and other carbohydrates into alcohol post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): this condition occurs after a person experiences a traumatic event and can cause depression, emotional disturbances, and other long-term issues Prohibition: a period from 1920 to 1933 in American history when a constitutional amendment banned the use and sale of alcohol; it was highly unpopular and led to an increase in organized crime rite of passage: a ritual, ceremony, or event that indicates that a person is transitioning to a new part of their life, such as binge drinking in college to become an adult socioeconomic: the economic groups that people are from

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HEROIN

WHAT IS ALCOHOL? Alcohol: Legal but Potentially Dangerous Alcohol is the most popularly abused drug in the world. It is enjoyed on every continent, even in Antarctica at research stations. Its history stretches thousands of years and through just about every culture. It is commonly used as an ingredient in beverages. The dangers of alcohol have been strongly highlighted over the years, with many calling for serious restrictions or even an outright ban. However, an attempt to ban alcohol in the early 1900s in the United States ( Prohibition ) was unsuccessful. It is now considered socially acceptable to use alcohol in the United States and other countries, even though its many dangers are well known by just about every drinker. In a minority of countries (such as Brunei, Iran, Kuwait, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, and Sudan), alcohol is banned or strictly limited to use by foreign tourists. Understanding the nature of alcohol, why it is abused, and whether it has any benefits can help you understand this social

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In a photo taken on November 11, 1922, federal agents stand with an illegal still and mason jars used to distill hard liquor. From 1920 to 1933, it was illegal to manufacture and sell alcohol in the United States.

phenomenon better. It can also help you get a deeper grasp of how much it has worked itself into societies around the world. The socioeconomic impact of alcohol is enormous and is likely to stay influential for many years to come, in spite of movements to control it. How Is Alcohol Made and Distributed? Alcohol is produced by the process of fermentation . Various ingredients (such as grapes or wheat) are combined into a large vat. Yeast is then introduced into this combination, which breaks down the ingredients by eating the sugar inside. As bacteria eat this sugar, they excrete a waste: that waste is alcohol. That may sound gross to some, but it is completely safe.

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The Young Adult Drug Library: Alcohol