Chapter 9-Alcohol and Nicotine

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards covering major terms, concepts, and health effects related to alcohol and nicotine from Chapter 9.

Ethyl Alcohol (Ethanol)

The intoxicating ingredient found in fermented or distilled beverages.

Standard Drink

A beverage portion that contains about 0.6 ounces of pure alcohol.

Proof Value

A measure of alcohol strength equal to twice the percentage of alcohol by volume (e.g., 100-proof = 50% alcohol).

Beer (ABV)

Common beer contains roughly 3–6 % alcohol by volume.

Ales and Malt Liquors (ABV)

Typically contain 6–8 % alcohol by volume.

Table Wine (ABV)

Generally ranges from 9–14 % alcohol by volume.

Fortified Wine

Wine such as sherry or port that has about 20 % alcohol by volume.

Hard Liquor (Spirits)

Distilled beverages containing 35–50 % alcohol by volume.

Calories per Gram of Alcohol

Alcohol supplies 7 calories for each gram consumed.

Calories per Standard Drink

Roughly 100–120 calories are provided by the alcohol in one standard drink.

Food and Alcohol Absorption

Food in the stomach slows the rate at which alcohol enters the bloodstream.

Carbonation and Absorption

Carbonated or artificially sweetened drinks speed up alcohol absorption.

High-Concentration Drinks

Beverages with very high alcohol percentages actually slow overall absorption.

Biological Sex, Race, Ethnicity (Alcohol)

Individual differences that can alter the rate of alcohol absorption.

Stomach Absorption Percentage

About 20 % of ingested alcohol is absorbed through the stomach lining.

Small Intestine Absorption Percentage

Roughly 75 % of alcohol absorption occurs in the upper small intestine.

Primary Site of Alcohol Metabolism

The liver is where most alcohol is broken down.

Un-Metabolized Alcohol Excretion

Around 2–10 % leaves unchanged through lungs, kidneys, and sweat glands.

Alcohol and Neurotransmitters

Alcohol alters chemical messengers in the brain, affecting mood and behavior.

Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC)

The ratio of alcohol to total blood volume, expressed as a percentage.

BAC Influencers

Body weight, body-fat percentage, sex, amount absorbed, and metabolic rate.

Activities That Do NOT Lower BAC

Exercise, coffee, deep breathing, eating, other drugs, or sleeping.

Low BAC Effects (0.02–0.05 %)

Lightheadedness, relaxation, and lowered inhibitions.

Moderate BAC Effects (0.10–0.20 %)

Reduced sensory and motor function; drowsiness and poor coordination.

High BAC Effects (≥0.35 %)

Risk of coma or death from respiratory depression.

Alcohol Hangover

Post-drinking symptoms such as headache, nausea, fatigue, and shakiness.

Alcohol Poisoning

Potentially lethal elevation of BAC caused by rapid, heavy drinking.

Alcohol-Drug Combinations

Leading cause of many drug-related deaths due to additive or synergistic effects.

Alcohol-Related Violence

Alcohol use is linked to many homicides, assaults, suicides, and accidents.

Binge Drinking

Rapid drinking that raises BAC to 0.08 % or higher in ~2 hours.

Binge Threshold (Men)

Five or more drinks within about two hours.

Binge Threshold (Women)

Four or more drinks within about two hours.

Dose-Response Function (Driving)

Higher BAC dramatically increases the probability of a motor-vehicle crash.

Fatty Liver

Early, reversible buildup of fat in liver cells caused by heavy drinking.

Alcoholic Hepatitis

Inflammation of the liver resulting from chronic alcohol misuse.

Cirrhosis

Irreversible scarring and loss of liver function due to toxins or infection.

Cardiac Myopathy

Weakening of the heart muscle associated with chronic heavy alcohol use.

Holiday Heart

Abnormal heart rhythm occurring within 24 hours of a binge-drinking episode.

Alcohol-Related Cancers

Increased risk of cancers of the mouth, throat, larynx, esophagus, breast, and more.

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS)

A lifelong pattern of physical, cognitive, and behavioral deficits in children exposed to alcohol in utero.

Alcohol-Related Neurodevelopmental Disorder (ARND)

Learning and behavioral problems in children prenatally exposed to alcohol.

DSM-5 Criteria for AUD

Meeting two of eleven specified symptoms within 12 months indicates alcohol use disorder.

Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD)

Compulsive alcohol use leading to significant impairment or distress.

Delirium Tremens (DTs)

Severe alcohol-withdrawal state with confusion, seizures, and hallucinations.

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)

A 12-step peer-support program for individuals seeking sobriety.

Disulfiram (Antabuse)

Medication that produces unpleasant reactions when alcohol is consumed.

Naltrexone

Drug that reduces alcohol craving and diminishes pleasurable effects.

Acamprosate (Campral)

Medication that modulates brain pathways to reduce alcohol craving.

Men and AUD

Men are more likely to drink heavily and account for most alcohol-related deaths.

Women and AUD

Women develop AUD later but experience medical complications more often.

Native American AUD Rates

Some of the highest prevalence of alcohol problems among U.S. ethnic groups.

Asian Flushing Response

Genetically based physiological reaction leading to lower average alcohol consumption.

Nicotine

The primary addictive psychoactive substance in tobacco products.

Tolerance (Nicotine)

Need for higher doses of nicotine to achieve the same effect over time.

Withdrawal (Nicotine)

Physical and psychological symptoms that occur when nicotine use stops.

Secondary Reinforcer

A stimulus linked to pleasurable activities that helps maintain tobacco use (e.g., smoking while drinking coffee).

Tobacco Tar

Brown, sticky residue containing toxic chemicals produced by burning tobacco.

Sidestream Smoke

Smoke from the burning end of a cigarette that is not inhaled by the smoker.

Carcinogen

A substance that directly causes cancer.

Cocarcinogen

Chemical that works with another agent to promote cancer development.

Carbon Monoxide (Smoking)

Gas that displaces oxygen in blood, causing breathlessness and cardiovascular strain.

“Reduced Harm” Cigarettes

Marketing term; no cigarette is considered safe or risk-free.

Menthol Cigarettes

Flavor-enhanced cigarettes that allow deeper inhalation and slower nicotine metabolism.

Coronary Heart Disease (CHD)

Narrowing or blockage of coronary arteries, often worsened by smoking.

Atherosclerosis

Build-up of fatty plaques in arterial walls, leading to reduced blood flow.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

Group of lung diseases, including emphysema and chronic bronchitis, primarily caused by smoking.

Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS)

Second-hand smoke classified as a Class A carcinogen by the EPA.

Mainstream Smoke

Smoke exhaled by a smoker into the environment.

Third-Hand Smoke

Toxic residues from tobacco smoke that linger on surfaces and dust.

Pack-a-Day Cost

A daily smoking habit can exceed $3,600 per year in out-of-pocket expense.

Chantix (Varenicline)

Prescription medication that reduces nicotine cravings by partially activating receptor sites.

Zyban (Bupropion)

Antidepressant also prescribed to help reduce nicotine cravings and withdrawal.

Quitline 1-800-QUITNOW

National toll-free telephone service offering smoking cessation assistance.

20-Minute Quit Benefit

Within 20 minutes of stopping smoking, blood pressure and pulse rate drop to normal.

Nanoparticles (E-Cigs)

Ultrafine particles produced by vaping that have been linked to inflammation and cardiovascular risk.

Hookah

Water pipe that delivers flavored tobacco smoke with roughly 10 × the carbon monoxide of cigarettes.

Nicotine Addiction Cycle

Pattern of craving, use, tolerance, and withdrawal that sustains tobacco dependence.

2019 Vaping-Associated Lung Injury

Outbreak in which 2,300 people were sickened and 47 died from e-cigarette use.

Smoking and Pregnancy Risks

Linked to miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, low birth weight, and later cognitive deficits.

STI Risk and Binge Drinking

Rapid heavy drinking is associated with higher rates of sexually transmitted infections.

Alcohol-Induced Brain Shrinkage

Chronic heavy drinking can lead to reduced brain volume and cognition.

Average Life-Expectancy Loss (AUD)

People with alcohol use disorder live about 15 years less than non-drinkers.

Proof Example (100-Proof)

A 100-proof beverage is 50 % alcohol by volume.

Light Beer

Beer labeled 'light' because it contains fewer calories, not less alcohol.