Alcohol intoxication

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The Drunkenness of Noah by Giovanni Bellini

Drunkenness is the state of being intoxicated by consumption of alcohol to a degree that mental and physical facilities are noticeably impaired. Common symptoms may include slurred speech, impaired balance, poor coordination, flushed face, reddened eyes, reduced inhibition, hiccuping, and uncharacteristic behavior. Drunkenness can result in temporary experience of a wide range of emotion, ranging from anger, sadness, and depression to euphoria, lightheartedness and joviality. When the state is achieved in a social atmosphere, friendship and camaraderie are often side-effects. Consuming excessive amounts of alcohol may lead to a hangover the next day. Addiction researcher Griffith Edwards points out the dual chemical and psycho-cultural influences on the behaviour of a drunken person: "Intoxication with alcohol is a temporary chemically induced mental disorder where the intoxicated person is generally not out of touch with reality, but will still respond to what culture dictates."

Law

Laws on drunkenness vary between countries. In the United States, for example, it is commonly a minor offense for an individual to be so intoxicated in a public place that he or she is unable to care for his or her own safety or the safety of others. This degree of intoxication is considerably higher than the standard for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs ("drunk driving"), which commonly requires intoxication to the degree that mental and physical faculties are impaired. In the United States, United Kingdom, Mexico, New Zealand, Republic of Ireland and Canada, this is legally defined as a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.08% or greater for operating a motor vehicle. Additionally, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration prohibits pilots from operating aircraft with any BAC greater than 0.04%, or operating an aircraft after consuming any alcoholic beverage within 8 hours. A legally drunk person on public property may also be taken into custody for public intoxication in many jurisdictions, even when not operating a vehicle.

In the United Kingdom and United States, police have powers to arrest those deemed too intoxicated in a public place for being "drunk and disorderly" or even "drunk and incapable".

There are often many legal restrictions relating to sale and supply of alcohol, and particularly relating to those persons under 18 years of age (19 or 21 in some jurisdictions) or to somebody who is already intoxicated. However in some countries such as Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Denmark, customers can buy alcoholic drinks such as beer or wine from the age of 16 years, although not spirits.

Religious views

The Drunkenness of Noah by Michelangelo

Many religious groups permit the consumption of alcohol but prohibit intoxication. Some prohibit alcohol consumption altogether. In Islam, there is an absolute prohibition on the consumption of date wine, and intoxication is considered as an abomination in the Qur'an and Hadith. Most mainstream Islamic schools of law (Madhhab) have interpreted this as a strict prohibition of the consumption of all types of alcohol and other intoxicants such as illegal drugs.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (also known as the LDS, or Mormon Church) prohibits the consumption of alcoholic drinks by its members in accordance with Section 89 of the Doctrine and Covenants; this Section is known popularly as the Word of Wisdom as well as the biblical passages from (for instance, Proverbs 23:21, Isa. 28:1, Hab. 2:15).

The Catechism of the Catholic Church states in paragraph 2290: "The virtue of temperance disposes us to avoid every kind of excess: the abuse of food, alcohol, tobacco, or medicine. Those incur grave guilt who, by drunkenness or a love of speed, endanger their own and others' safety on the road, at sea, or in the air." The Church does not prohibit the use of alcohol in moderation; and indeed, the ritual use of alcoholic altar wine during the Mass is central to the Roman Catholic liturgy.

Many Protestant Christian denominations prohibit drunkenness due to the Biblical passages condemning it (for instance, Proverbs 23:21, Isa. 28:1, Hab. 2:15) but many allow moderate use of alcohol (see Christianity and alcohol).

Quotations

• "You're not drunk if you can lay on the floor without holding on." - Jerry Lewis
• "The man drinks the first glass [of sake], the second glass drinks the first, the third glass drinks the man." - Japanese proverb
• "Don't you know there ain't no devil, there's just God when he's drunk." - Tom Waits
• "A drunk man's words are a sober man's thoughts." - Oliver Reed

Further reading

• Bales, Robert F. Attitudes toward Drinking in the Irish culture. In: Pittman, David J. and Snyder, Charles R. (Eds.) Society, Culture and Drinking Patterns. NY: Wiley, 1962, pp. 157-187.
• "Out of It. A Cultural History of Intoxication" by Stuart Walton. (Penguin Books, 2002) ISBN 0-14-027977-6
• "Modern Drunkard" magazine - a humorous magazine about drink and the art of getting drunk
• Famous Drinking Quotes - a collection of quotes about drinking from famous alcohol enthusiasts

References

2. Sigmund, Paul. St. Thomas Aquinas On Politics And Ethics. W.W Norton & Company, Inc:1988 p. 77