Alcohol

Alcohol is classed as a depressant. However, at low doses it acts as a mild stimulant. As concentrations in the bloodstream increase, stimulation gives way to sedation, stupor, coma and finally death.

When you drink alcohol you are consuming ethanol. Ethanol is produced by a chemical process which is the fermentation of the sugar and water found in ripe fruit combined with yeast. Ethanol dissolves easily in water, so it can be rapidly absorbed from the digestive tract and circulate throughout the body in the blood.

Alcohol can be dangerous in smaller amounts if it is used in combination with other drugs.