Alcohol: what is it?

Alcohol is a liquid produced by fermentation. Further processing produces alcoholic drinks such as beer, wine, cider and spirits.

Alcohol is a depressant drug. This means that it slows down activity of the central nervous system and the messages going between the brain and the body. Depressant drugs do not necessarily make a person feel depressed.

Other names

Booze, grog, piss.

What does it look like?

Pure alcohol has no colour. It has a very strong taste that feels like a burning sensation. Alcoholic drinks vary in colour and taste depending on their ingredients and how they are made.

Why is it used?

In Australia, alcohol is used for social and cultural reasons. Many Australians drink alcohol with meals, to celebrate special occasions and to help them relax and to have fun.

For more information, please click on the Australian Drug Foundation's DrugInfo Clearinghouse web site link below.
australian drug foundation logo


 

Last Reviewed: 30 June 2012

myDr, 2002. Reproduced with kind permission from the Australian Drug Foundation.
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