No matter what the TV ads say, no matter how much people at school may talk about it, drinking alcohol is not a fun, safe, or healthy choice for young people.

Alcohol companies want to make it seem like “everyone” is drinking and “everyone” is having fun doing it. True, many people have tried alcohol at some point in their lives. But most young people do not drink regularly. Plus, many people who do drink have terrible hangovers, accidents, car crashes, lost jobs, lowered grades, and other problems from drinking alcohol.

So, since alcohol is so harmful, why do you hear so many jokes and stories about it?
Some people have wrong-headed beliefs about alcohol. They say things that just create confusion. And that kind of confusion can be dangerous.

Alcohol is a drug. It hurts more people than any illegal drug does. It depresses (slows down) thoughts and actions. Drinkers become sluggish and silly – not energetic or sexy or funny. Drinking too much alcohol at one time can actually kill a person. Some party.

No matter what kind of alcoholic beverage a person is drinking, the drug in it is the same. Beer is alcohol. Wine coolers are alcohol. Whiskey is alcohol. All of them get a person drunk in exactly the same way. It takes the person exactly the same amount of time to sober up from drinking any of them.

People who think that beer is no big deal are fooling themselves.

Don’t be fooled. Surf through this site and learn more about alcohol’s effects on users. Then test your knowledge with our interactive Saying-no.com Alcohol Test.