All alcoholic beverages contain the same chemical substance ethyl alcohol (ethanol) that has been consumed by mankind since prehistoric times. Today, alcoholic drinks are divided into three main classes: beer, wines and spirits.
The first two are produced by fermentation while spirits are made by distillation. Whatever their name or class all alcoholic drinks contain the identical chemical – ethanol which is a powerful drug. In countries like Jamaica with a drinking culture, the social conditioning cause many people to disregard the fact that alcohol is an addictive psychoactive drug whose misuse creates a multitude of problems.
Men and women who consume alcohol are known to have increased risks of many diseases. These include cirrhosis of the liver, digestive system diseases, such as gastritis, ulcers or pancreatitis, several painful and often deadly cancers, such as throat, oesophagus and liver cancer, heart disease, bone disorders, type 2 diabetes, hypertension and gout.
Alcohol is particularly poisonous to the nervous system and causes disorders such as blackouts, seizures, tremors and neuritis. It can inflame and disrupt brain function creating encephalitis and psychological and psychiatric disturbances like psychosis, personality changes, anxiety and depression. Experts estimate that a single drink of alcohol results in the death of thousands of brain cells. It negatively influences behavior, reactions, coordination, focus and judgment.