Alcohol: knowing the facts

What to know

1. Know what one drink is. In the U.S., a standard drink has 14 grams of pure alcohol: 12 ounces of regular beer (about 5%), 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of liquor. A 12-ounce beer at 10% is two drinks, and many light beers have about 85% as much alcohol as regular beer. Source: NIAAA²
2. Know what binge drinking is: reaching a blood alcohol level of 0.08% or more, typically about 5 or more drinks for men or 4 or more for women in about two hours. High-intensity drinking is twice that or more, and teens and college-age young adults often do both. Source: NIAAA¹
3. Know the overdose signs: confusion or stupor; trouble staying conscious or can't be woken up; vomiting; seizures; slow breathing (fewer than 8 breaths a minute) or irregular breathing (10 seconds or more between breaths); slow heart rate; clammy skin; no gag reflex; very low body temperature, bluish skin or paleness. Source: NIAAA¹
4. Call 911 right away if you suspect an overdose. Don't wait for every symptom, and remember a person who has passed out can die. Source: NIAAA¹
5. Stay with them. Keep them sitting on the ground or partly upright, not in a chair. If they're vomiting, have them lean forward. If they're passed out or lying down, roll them onto one side, ear toward the ground. Source: NIAAA¹
6. Tell responders what they drank and how much, any other drugs they took, and any medications, allergies or health conditions you know of. Source: NIAAA¹

Standard drinks at a glance

Each of these has about 14 grams of pure alcohol. Source: NIAAA²

Dangerous combinations

• Opioids, prescription or illegal, like oxycodone, morphine or heroin Source: NIAAA¹
• Sleep medicines like zolpidem and eszopiclone Source: NIAAA¹
• Anti-anxiety medicines like diazepam and alprazolam Source: NIAAA¹
• Even over-the-counter antihistamines Source: NIAAA¹
• Mixing increases the effects and can cause an overdose with even moderate drinking. Source: NIAAA¹

Before a party

• Check in with friends before, during and after, and agree how everyone's getting home. Source: RAINN⁶
• Keep track of your drink and know what's in it. Source: RAINN⁶
• Notice if a friend suddenly seems much drunker than expected, and help them leave or get help. Source: RAINN⁶
• Save 911 and a sober ride in your favorites.
• Decide in advance that you'll call for help, so you don't hesitate.

If it doesn't work

• Worried about your own drinking, or someone else's? SAMHSA's National Helpline, 1-800-662-4357, is free, confidential, and open 24/7, in English and Spanish. Source: SAMHSA⁵
• Feeling hopeless or thinking about hurting yourself? Call or text 988 any time. See 988: when and how to reach out.
• Someone's been drinking and wants to drive? Don't get in the car. Drinking and driving puts everyone at risk. Source: CDC⁴ Call a parent, a sober friend, or a ride.