Search results
Results from the WOW.Com Content Network
Alcohol is the most recreationally used drug internationally; [70] throughout history it has played a variety of roles, from medicine to a mood enhancer. Alcoholism and alcohol abuse, however, have undergone rigorous examination as a disease which has pervasive physiological and biosocial implications.
Alcohol has been produced and consumed by humans for its psychoactive effects since c. 7000–6600 BC. [20] Alcohol is the second most consumed psychoactive drug globally, behind caffeine. [21] [22] Drinking alcohol is generally socially acceptable and is legal in most countries, unlike with many other recreational substances.
Scoring highest, alcohol was the most harmful drug compared to others in the study -- and by a wide margin. ... $143.4 billion -- during the same year, although drug-abuse costs are growing more ...
However, the term "Alcohol and Other Drugs", a term frequently used by public health authorities, emphasizes this inclusion by grouping alcohol with other substances that alter mood and behavior. Paradoxically, despite being legal, alcohol, scientifically classified as a drug, has demonstrably been linked to greater social harm than most ...
A vast majority of American adults say they have consumed alcohol at some point — yet experts warn that alcoholic beverages could be a "gateway drug" to more harmful substances. More than 84% of ...
Nearly 30 million Americans ages 12 and up had alcohol use disorder in 2022, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Alcohol-related deaths jumped during the pandemic ...
Depending on the actual compound, drug abuse including alcohol may lead to health problems, social problems, morbidity, injuries, unprotected sex, violence, deaths, motor vehicle accidents, homicides, suicides, physical dependence or psychological addiction. [26] There is a high rate of suicide in alcoholics and other drug abusers.
Alcohol is the most widely used recreational drug in Australia. [43] 86.2% of Australians aged 12 years and over have consumed alcohol at least once in their lifetime, compared to 34.8% of Australians aged 12 years and over who have used cannabis at least once in their lifetime. [43]