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Climate Schools - Alcohol & Cannabis Lesson 1
Physical Health
• Nausea
• Poor coordination
• Disorientation
• Vomiting
• Hangover
• Poor balance
• Coma
• Slurred speech
• Slowed reflexes
• Death
• Loss of consciousness
• Abnormal heart rhythm
• Dieting can lead to a disproportionate loss of body fluid. This means that the effects of
alcohol are exacerbated when consumed in conjunction with dieting, due to the increased
concentration of alcohol resulting from reduced body fluid.
• Drinking too much alcohol is a major cause of road injury. 31% of all driver and pedestrian
deaths are related to alcohol
Mental Health
• Verbal aggression
• Poor short term memory retrieval
• Poor long term memory retrieval
• Decreased ability to pay attention to
more than one thing at a time
• Physical aggression
• Decreased inhibitions
• Poor decision-making
• Depression
• Poorer concentration
• Decreased ability to form memories – leading to experience of “blackouts” in memory
Short-term risks associated with heavy alcohol consumption
Social Interactions
• Embarrassing social situations e.g., vomiting in public, decreased inhibitions
• Fights (verbal and physical) from no longer having the capacity to think clearly and resolve
potential conflict
• Broken friendships
• A person who drinks too much alcohol is more likely to be verbally abused
• A person who drinks too much alcohol is more likely to be the victim of crime
• Unwanted sexual situation and unprotected sex – which can lead to pregnancy and sexually
transmitted infections (STI’s)
Younger People are at Increased Risk
Younger people are more likely than older people to participate in physical activities which
require good motor skills e.g., swimming and rock climbing. If these skill-dependent activities
are combined with alcohol, the results can be tragic, as alcohol decreases the ability to perform
these skills.