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Download the Truth About Alcohol Fact Sheet

WHAT IS ALCOHOL?

Alcohol is a depressant. It is derived from the natural fermentation of fruits, vegetables and grains. These are brewed and distilled into a wide range of beverages with various alcohol contents.

HOW ARE IT CONSUMED?

Alcohol is a liquid. Types include beer, wine, and liquor.

Less than one month after Colorado enacted legislation that allowed recreational marijuana use,  two member only marijuana clubs have opened in the city. 

More than 200 people, paying a $29.99 admission celebrated the New Year in Club 64, one of the bring-your-own pot clubs.

The new law prohibits public consumption and smoke free laws stop smoking indoors but private clubs are permissible because marijuana isn’t sold and is not considered a food or drink. 

HIV patients that obtain good treatment will increase their mortality rate if they smoke, a new Danish study has found.

The study, published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases indicated that a 35 year old HIV patient that did not smoke was likely to live to age 78, while one that did smoke was likely to die before age 63.

Adopting a nationwide law mandating the use of ignition locks has been suggested by the National Transportation Safety Board.   The lock requires a breathalyzer test to start a car engine and would prevent an intoxicated driver from getting on the road if they fail the test.

The board suggested that all states mandate the measure for all convicted drunken drivers including any first time offenders and considered the best available solution to reducing the more than 32,000 traffic deaths a year attributed to drunk driving.

More than a dozen city hospitals have admitted to testing new mothers for drugs and contacting ACS if they are positive for smoking marijuana.

The New York Daily News reported that a several hospitals serving low income and minority women have adopted the practice of mandatory screening for illegal drugs in either mothers and newborns.

Family Court attorneys said they see scores of neglect proceedings each year originating from a positive marijuana test — almost exclusively against low-income and minority women.

Starting January 1, a new state law banning the sale of e-cigarettes to minors goes into effect.

Electronic cigarettes are battery powered devices that produce vaporized liquid nicotine rather than tobacco smoke. Despite being packaged as an alternative to traditional cigarettes, they are considered by some to unfairly appeal to minors using a variety of candy flavors.

With the recent decriminalization of non-medical marijuana in Colorado and Washington, the stigma of the drug has been lessened in the eyes of many people.  In New York State, a recent poll showed that 51percent of residents favored legalization with only 44 percent opposing the measure.

A new report finds that New York State ranks as the easiest place for underage youth to purchase alcohol.  A new report found that about 1 in 6 New Yorkers under the age of 21 were able to buy alcohol within the last 30 days.

A newly released study has found that youth who engage in binge eating are more likely to use drugs.  A survey of close to 17,000 youth conducted by Boston Children’s Hospital found a link between overeating, including binge eating and the onset of marijuana and other illicit drug use.

New York State ranks 21st in preventing kids from smoking tobacco according to a joint study released by several public health organizations.

The Annual Report entitled, Broken Promises to Our Children: The 1998 State Tobacco Settlement 14 Years Later," indicated that New York spends only $41.4 million on tobacco prevention and cessation programs. This amount is on 16.3% of $254.3 million dollars recommended by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.