Thousands of people die every year from alcohol poisoning. Many of these people aren’t even drinking that much when they cross into the end zone. Everyone’s body is different and many factors can come into play when drinking. If you have a low BMI (body mass index), hardly ever drink, haven’t eaten, are on medication or are allergic to alcohol, these are all questions you need to ask yourself. One night of partying is not worth the risk.

Know your Body

Know your body and know when to say when. If you know someone who is teetering on the edge of existence because of their extreme social drinking, talk to them about it.  In the news today, it was announced that Amy Winehouse’s autopsy showed that she did not have any illegal drugs in her system at the time of death but did have 5 times the legal limit of alcohol in her blood. She had gone on a hiatus after being sober for some time. She struggled with alcohol abuse most of her time in the spotlight as a star. At 27 years old, this young, talented woman unintentionally killed herself by drinking too much.  Even though Amy Winehouse is an extreme example of binge drinking, it is a very real problem.

Educate your Children

This problem runs deep through our universities and in our high schools. Our kids can be pressured into playing extreme drinking games that pushing the boundaries of our alcohol limits. We need to pay attention to what our bodies say and how much alcohol is too much. The legal blood alcohol content is .08%, which means that .08% of our blood is alcohol. Amy Winehouse died after her blood alcohol content reached .40%, which is a large amount even for a very large person to consume. Amy was a very small, thin woman so that has to be taken into count as well. 

When is it an Emergency?

The typical telltale signs of alcohol poisoning start out very similar to being drunk and it can be hard to tell if a person has crossed the line and become dangerously intoxicated. Anyone boasting drinking a bottle of any liquor is obviously had way too much to drink. Different people have different metabolisms which can speed or slow the alcohol metabolism in our blood. Some general signs to look for are lack of balance, extremely slurred speech, vomiting, and blacking out. If you notice someone who is acting this way, call the police and get them some help. It’s better to be safe than sorry, especially when it comes to live or death.