Hello friends.
Is Eduardo, again.
Now, I would like to invite you to discuss some popular beliefs about alcohol consumption.
Below is a list of beliefs frequently associated with alcohol consumption.
Are they true or false?
- “Alcohol causes less harm than other drugs”
- “Having a good tolerance to alcohol implies that one has more resistance to its damage.”
- “Drinking beer or wine is safer than drinking liquor (spirits).”
- “Beer before wine and you'll feel fine; wine before beer and you'll feel queer”
- “Even if I drink a lot, I can sober up quickly with a cold shower or drinking coffee.”
- "Red wine in moderation is good for the heart"
- “Alcohol improves creativity.”
- “Men and women react the same to the same amount of alcohol”
- “Alcohol is a stimulant.”
- "Drinking alcohol helps to warm the body on cold days"
- “Alcohol is a good way to relax and reduce stress.”
- “Eating fatty foods or drinking milk helps prevent a person from getting drunk.”
- “If a person is very drunk and confused, you should let them sleep it off.”
What do you think?
I'll start with something personal. When I was young, in my country Uruguay, drinking alcohol was one of the “rites of passage to adulthood.” Currently, it seems to be a "rite of passage from childhood to adolescence" due to the early age at which young people begin to use alcohol.
What is the current situation in your country?
Can you share any other beliefs about alcohol that you have heard in your country?
Kind regards,
Eduardo
Dr. Eduardo Bianco
Director, Addiction Training Program for Health Professionals (ATHP)
Email: ebianco@nextgenu.org
Web: NextGenU.org
HIFA profile: Eduardo Bianco is a medical doctor and Cardiologist, Certified Tobacco Cessation Expert with a Masters in Prevention and Treatment of Addictive Disorders. Currently, he is Chair of the World Heart Federation Tobacco Expert Group. Dr. Biancos research examines tobacco control and cessation, and he is a prominent member of several organizations that address tobacco control in Latin America. Dr. Bianco has worked for 25 years in Uruguay and Latin America to promote and train in smoking cessation treatment and tobacco control policies. He is also the former Regional Coordinator for the Americas of the Framework Convention Alliance and former Technical Director of the MOH Center for International Cooperation for Tobacco. ebianco AT nextgenu.org