During the Holiday Season, there is and increased use of alcohol. Not only is this true around New Year’s Day, but also for the entire holiday season; from Thanksgiving until after New Year’s Day.
- Alcohol is the most commonly abused recreational drug in the United States.
- One-third of the U.S. population will have at least a temporary alcohol related problem during their lifetime. This may include blackouts, arguments with family and friends related to their alcohol use, and absenteeism from work or school.
- There are an estimated 18 million alcoholics and over 200,000 deaths in the U.S. per year attributed to alcohol.
- Alcoholism is the leading cause of mortality and morbidity in the States and it accounts for an estimated $130 BILLION worth of health care costs per year.
On the practical side, there are several easy ways to estimate your alcohol level and some guidelines that should help them keep their legal alcohol level under the 100mg/dl (0.1%) state limit. It takes approximately 4 ounces of alcohol in an hour to elevate the body’s alcohol level to the 100mg level. That is equivalent to 4 beers or 4 shots of most liqueurs, whiskeys or scotches.
The body gets rid of about 1 ounce of alcohol per hour. So, if you want to keep under the legal limit, you should take into consideration the amount that’s been consumed and the time frame over which it has been consumed. For example, if you have four beers during the first hour of a party, you should wait at least 30-60 minutes after your last drink before you drive home. If you have two mixed drinks an hour for four hours (a total of 8 ounces) you are still very close to the legal limit and should wait for at least 30-60 minutes before trying to drive. Of course, the best advice is still DON’T DRINK AND DRIVE.
Options available to the public for a safe ride home include:
Cabs
Limousine Service
Designated Drivers
For more information on alcoholism and drug abuse, contact:
The Safety and Health Council 402-896-6332
Alcoholics Anonymous 402-556-1880
Al-Anon 402-553-5033
Nebraska Council to Prevent Alcohol and Drug Abuse
402-572-3075
