Lesson 2 of 4

Alcohol

Goal: Describe how alcohol affects behaviour and health.

Puzzles for this lesson

Word search0 of 8 foundCrossword0 of 39 letters
A glass of red wine and a glass of beer on a table

Alcohol is a drug. It is a depressant: it slows down the nervous system, so the brain is less active.

  • Behaviour changes within minutes. Reactions get slower. Judgement, balance and speech get worse. This is why drinking and driving is so dangerous.
  • Health can be harmed for good. Years of heavy drinking can damage the liver, the brain and the heart.
  • Alcohol is addictive. In the UK it is against the law to sell it to anyone under 18.

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Key words in this lesson

Drug A substance that changes the way the body or mind works

Alcohol A depressant found in drinks such as beer and wine

Depressant A drug that slows down the nervous system

Nervous system The brain, the spinal cord and the nerves

Reaction time The time taken to respond to something you see, hear or feel

Liver The organ that breaks down alcohol

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