Wine Coolers
Wine Coolers: The Uncool Coolers Alcohol is alcohol. Wine coolers taste sweet and syrupy because they are made of fruit juice and sugar. But unlike fruit juice or soft drinks, they also contain enough wine to give them the same amount of alcohol as a can of beer. Wine coolers also have more than double the calories of most light beers. Wine coolers are a product of the 1980s. They were invented by two California businessmen who thought there might be a big market for “an alcoholic soft drink.” In 1985 they sold their business to a large liquor manufacturer for $143 million. Today...
Read MoreAlcohol, the partner in Rape and other Violence
Alcohol, the partner in Rape and other Violence More often than not, alcohol plays a role in acts of aggression and violence. Under its influence, you could become a victim – or a criminal. The evening wasn’t supposed to end like this. Lisa bit her lip, staring at her tear-stained face in the mirror jumbled scenes of last night’s date with Rob flashed painfully through her head. It had seemed so innocent. A movie. A few beers. A little flirting and kissing. Suddenly Rob wouldn’t stop. He was all over her – groping, pinning her down, hitting her when she tried to...
Read MoreMarijuana
Marijuana is the most widely used illegal drug in the United States. It is a dry, shredded green/brown mix of flowers, stems, and leaves of the plant Cannabis sativa. A stronger form of marijuana called hashish (hash) looks like brown or black cakes or balls. The many street names for marijuana include pot, herb, weed, grass, Jane, reefer, dope, and ganja. Marijuana is typically smoked in cigarettes (joints or spliffs), hollowed-out cigars (blunts), pipes (bowls), or water pipes (bongs). Some people mix it into food or brew it as a tea. Short-Term Effects The main active chemical in...
Read MoreCaffeine
Caffeine is a drug that is naturally produced in the leaves and seeds of many plants. It’s also produced artificially and added to certain foods. Caffeine is defined as a drug because it stimulates the central nervous system, causing increased alertness. Caffeine gives most people a temporary energy boost and elevates mood. Caffeine is in tea, coffee, chocolate, many soft drinks, and pain relievers and other over-the-counter medications. In its natural form, caffeine tastes very bitter. But most caffeinated drinks have gone through enough processing to camouflage the bitter...
Read MorePrescriptions
Some people experiment with prescription drugs because they think they will help them have more fun, lose weight, fit in, and even study more effectively. Prescription drugs can be easier to get than street drugs: Family members or friends may have them. But prescription drugs are also sometimes sold on the street like other illegal drugs. But wherever you get them be sure read the warnings, prescription drugs kill over twice the number of people than all other illegal drugs combined! A 2009 survey from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that prescription drug abuse is...
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