id. Scientist have a new breed of mice that will drink alcohol over water. When thinking of the effects of alcohol there are a few things that come to mind: slow reactions, speech slurs, and skilled performance deteriorate.One must consider genetic influences when judging an alcoholic. For example, adopted individuals are more susceptible to alcoholism if one or both biological parents had a history of alcoholism. Scientists have found a gene that is more common among alcoholics, especially severe alcoholics. Also boys who at age 6 are excitable, impulsive, and fearless are more likely as teens to smoke, drink, and use other drugs.Alcoholism is a battle that far too many people are loosing. Results from the National Household Survey (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 1998) suggest that as many as 40 million Americans drink more than the moderate drinking levels recommended by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (it varies for different sizes and sex) (NIAAA) (1995). "It is estimated that six million Americans persistently misuse alcohol, yet another eight million more are addicted, and one hundred humans throughout our nation will die each year from this"(Newsweek). Alcohol is one of the biggest causes of premature death in the United States. On average, people dying from alcohol- related causes lose twenty-six years from their normal life expectancy. "Each year Alcohol abuse costs our country a whopping $185 billion a year in everything from lost workdays to drunken driving accidents"(Newsweek). Out of that $185 billion spent each year 10.7% is medical, 37.1% is illness, 34.1% is death, 16% other, and 2.1% are special conditions related. The four major problems with alcoholics are depression, memory loss, organ damage, and reduces self-awareness. Depression is a very serious issue, people who are depressed and drink on top of depression will do something they will regret the next day, think of suicide, a...
