Alcohol is seen by many as a more socially acceptable drug, but that's not to say it's any less powerful than other drugs. Technically speaking, it's a nervous system depressant, which means it slows down your body's responses in all kinds of ways. Just enough can make you feel great, too much and you'll have a hangover the next day.

The effects

• Alcohol will often exaggerate whatever mood you're in when you start drinking.
• Alcohol is a relaxant so, in moderation, it can reduce feelings of anxiety and inhibitions, making you feel more sociable.
• It takes your body an hour to process one unit of alcohol.

Chances of getting hooked

For most people, if you drink within the sensible limits for regular drinking, that's OK. But for some people drinking gradually gets out of control and results either in regular binge-drinking, heavy harmful drinking or alcoholism (alcohol dependence).

The law

Under 5 – It's illegal to give an alcoholic drink to a child under 5 except in certain circumstances (e.g. under medical supervision).

Under 14 - A person under 14 can't go into a bar or pub unless the pub has a 'children's certificate'. Without this certificate they can only go into parts that aren't licensed and where alcohol is either sold but not drunk (e.g. a sales point away from the pub), OR drunk but not sold (e.g. a beer garden or family room).

14 or 15 – They can go anywhere in a pub but can't drink alcohol.

16 or 17 – They can buy (or be bought) beer or cider so long as it's bought to eat with a meal, but not in a bar (i.e. only in a place specifically set aside for meals).

Under 18 – With the exception of having a meal in a pub, it's against the law for anyone under 18 to buy alcohol in a pub, off-licence or supermarket. It's also illegal to buy alcohol in a pub for someone who's not 18.

Anyone over 18 can buy and drink alcohol legally in licensed premises in Britain.

Appearance and use

Alcohol comes in a whole range of different drinks. Spirits usually contain a higher level of alcohol to wine or lager. While 'alcopops' and ready-to-drink 'mixers' may not seem it, they usually contain more alcohol by volume than beer or cider.

Check the label as it often shows the number of alcohol 'units'. Units are a good standard for measuring the level of alcohol you're consuming and for comparing the strength of different drinks. One unit is half a pint of ordinary-strength beer, lager or cider, one small glass of table wine or a 25ml measure of spirits. Even a small (125ml) glass of wine is likely to be 1.5 units. For more information on how many units are found in common drinks, visit www.units.nhs.uk/

Cost

Prices vary depending on what you drink and the quality – say for instance, a premium whisky or older bottle of wine is more expensive than a pint of beer.

Purity

Because it's almost always legal and sold only in licensed premises, alcoholic drinks don't usually contain anything in them that shouldn't be there. In some circumstances, it is sensible to be careful and to try and make it difficult for anyone to 'spike' your drink.

The risks

• One drink too many can leave you feeling out of control – like slurring your words, losing your balance and vomiting.
• Official guidelines recommend that men shouldn't regularly drink more than 3-4 units a day and women shouldn't regularly drink more than 2-3 units a day because of the harm this may cause. The guidelines also recommend that after an episode of heavy drinking, it's advisable to refrain from drinking for 48 hours to allow the tissues to recover.
• Psychological and physical dependence on alcohol can creep up on you. Tolerance gradually increases the more you drink excessively on a regular basis, so you may find you'll need more alcohol to reach the same state. In other words, you may seem to be getting better at holding your drink when that's really a sign of a developing problem.
• Alcohol can make you mouthy, argumentative and aggressive. There's no way of knowing beforehand if you're going to turn into a nasty drunk.
• Serious overindulgence can lead to alcohol poisoning which could put you in a coma or even kill you.
• Alcohol is blamed for contributing to all kinds of problems in Britain, from violent crime to domestic violence and to car-related deaths.
• Long-term excessive use of alcohol causes illnesses such as liver damage, stomach cancer and heart disease.