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Everything You Need To Know About Alcohol Poisoning

March 2024
Holly St. Lifer • Illustration by Choi Haeryung

You and a friend are at a party where people are drinking. Your friend is being super loud, their speech is slurred, and they keep falling down. Your friend’s behavior is embarrassing. It’s also a sign they might have alcohol poisoning. Alcohol poisoning is a potentially life-threatening condition that occurs when a person drinks more alcohol than their body can process. Because everyone’s body is different, there is no set amount of alcohol that is safe for everyone. (Drinking any amount of alcohol is illegal if you’re under 21.) The best way to avoid alcohol poisoning is to not drink at all. But if you suspect someone has had too much, you should get help. You just might save a life.

Every year, alcohol poisoning kills more than 3,900 Americans under 21.

Know the Signs

If you suspect someone has alcohol poisoning, don’t delay—call 911. Symptoms can include: 

  • vomiting
  • confusion
  • blue, gray, or pale skin
  • rapid, short, or shallow breathing
  • seizures
  • loss of consciousness
  • unusually high or low body temperature

Lifesaving Do's & Don'ts

Do: Call 911. Stay with the person until medical help arrives.

Don't: Let them drink more alcohol, or give them drinks containing caffeine; this can dehydrate people with alcohol poisoning.

Do: Prevent choking. Sit them up if they’re awake, or lay them on their side if they’re unconscious.

Don't: Give them anything to eat. This will help them avoid choking.

Do: Keep them awake if they’re conscious. 

Don't: Put them in a cold shower or bath; they could get too cold, fall, or lose consciousness.

Do: Check every 15 minutes to be sure they are breathing normally (12 to 18 breaths per minute).

Don't: Leave them to “sleep it off.”

Do: Give them water to sip if they’re able to swallow.

Don't: Try to make them vomit.

Do: Keep them warm with a jacket or blanket.

Don't: Let them drive.

Quiz

1

True or false? You won’t get in trouble with the law if you call 911 for someone under 21 who has been drinking. 

True! All states currently have laws protecting you if you seek help for someone underage who is in an alcohol-related emergency. These laws also protect you if you seek help for yourself, so don’t hesitate to call 911! 
2

True or false? Most teens drink alcohol.

False! According to a recent survey, nearly 70 percent of people ages 12 to 20 said they had never had an alcoholic drink. You are not alone if you don’t drink.  
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