Prevention of Alcohol and

Drug Abuse in the Maritime

Sector (PADAMS)
Objectives
• What is Alcohol?
• Alcohol use and abuse and the consequences
• What are drugs?
• Drug use and abuse and the consequences
• The danger and consequences of drug trafficking
What is Alcohol?
• Alcoholic drinks have been prepared and drunk for thousands of years, and
the problems that can accompany excess alcohol intake have undoubtedly
been around just as long.
• Alcohol (Arabic al-kuhul), term applied to members of a group of chemical
compounds and, in popular usage, to the specific compound ethyl alcohol or
ethanol.
• The Arabic word demotes kohl,a fine powder of antimony used as an eye
makeup.
• The word alcohol originally denoted any fine powder; the alchemist of
medieval Europe later applied it to essences obtained by distillation, and this
led to the current page.
 Types of Alcohol
Methyl (wood By destructive distillation of wood. Also by Solvent for fats, oils resins, nitrocellulose.
alcohol, methanol) synthesis from hydrogen and carbon Manufacture for dyes, formaldehyde, antifreeze
monoxide under high pressure. solution, special fuels, plastics
Ethyl (grain alcohol, By fermentation of sugar, starch, or waste Solvent for products such as lacquers, paints,
ethanol) sulfite liquor. Synthesis from ethylene or varnishes, glues, pharmaceuticals, explosives.
acetylene. Direct hydration of ethtlene. Also as “building block” in making high-
molecular-weight materials.
Isopropyl By hydration of propylene from cracked Solvent for oils, gums, alkaloids, resins. Making
(isopropanol) gases. Also as by-product of certain acetone, soap, antiseptic solutions.
fermentation processes.
Normal propyl As a coproduct of air oxidation of propane Solvent for laquers, resins, coatings, films, waxes.
and butane mixtures. Also as brake fluid, in manufacture of propionic
acid, plasticizers.
Butyl (n-butanol) By fermentation of starch or sugar. Also by Solvent for nitrocellulose, ethyl cellulose, lacquer,
synthesis, using ethyl alcohol or acetylene. urea-formaldehyde, urea-melamine plastics.
Diluent of hydraulic fluids, extractant of drugs.
 Types of Alcohol
Isobutyl By synthesis from carbon monoxide and Solvent for castor-oil-base brake fluids. Substitute
hydrogen at high pressure, then distillation for n-butyl alcohol in making urea resins.
from products formed.
Secondary butyl By hydration of 1—butane, formed in In making other chemicals such as methyl ethyl
petroleum cracking. ketone. Solvent in nitrocellulose lacquers.
Production of brake fluids, special greases.
Tertiary butyl By hydration of isobutylene, derived from In perfume making. As wetting agent in
petroleum cracking. detergents. Solvent for drugs and cleaning
compounds.
Amyl (pentyl) By fractional distillation of fuel oil, o Solvent for many natural and synthetic resins.
coproduct of ethyl alcohol manufacture by Diluting brakes fluids, printing inks, lacquers. In
fermentation medicinal products.
Ethylene Glycol By oxidation of ethylene to glycol. Also by Deicing fluid, anti-freeze, brake fluid. In
hydrogenation of methyl glycolate made from production of explosives. Solvent for stains, oils,
formaldehyde and methanol. resins, enamels, inks, dyes.
 Types of Alcohol
Diethylene Glycol As product in manufacture of ethylene glycol Solvent for dyes resins. Antileak agent in adhesive
printing inks.
Triethylene glycol Coproduct in manufacture of ethylene glycol Air disinfectant and dehumidifier. Production of
resins, plasticizers.
Glycerol (glycerin; 1- From treatment of fats in soapmaking. In alkyd resins, explosives, cellophane. Tobacco
2-3-propanetriol) Synthetically, from propylene. By humectant.
fermentation.
Penthaerythritol By condensation of acetaldehyde and In synthetic resins, as tetranitrate in explosives.
formaldehyde Also as drug for treatment of heart disease.
Sorbitol By reduction of sugar, usually corn sugar, with In foods, pharmaceuticals, in chemical
hydrogen. manufacture. Conditioning agent in paper,
textiles, glue, cosmetics. Source of alcohol in
resin manufacture.
Cyclohexanol By catalytic, hydrogenation of phenol. By Intermediate in making chemicals used in nylon
catalytic, air oxidation of cyclohexane. manufacture. Stabilizer and homogenizer of
soaps, synthetic detergents. Solvent.
Friend or Foe
• High levels of alcohol consumption can lead to physical illness and
psychological and social distress.
• Small, regular amounts of alcohol also seem to have a positive effect
on the heart and circulation.
• But too much alcohol is often a recipe for disaster.

The increasing use of alcohol, along with other drugs of abuse, is a

serious public health problem across all age ranges, but so in the
young.
Brief Description of Alcoholic Beverages
• Wines – are made from a variety of fruits, such as grapes, peaches,
plums or apricot. The most common wines are produced from grapes.
The soil in which the grapes are grown and the weather conditions in
the growing season determine the quality of wines. When ripe, the
grapes are crushed and fermented in large vats to produce wine.
• Beer – is also made by the process of fermentation. A liquid mix, called
wort, is prepared by combining yeast and malted cereal, such as com,
rye, wheat or barley. Fermentation of this liquid mix produces alcohol
and carbon dioxide . The process of fermentation is stopped before it is
completed to limit the alcohol content. The alcohol so produced is
called beer. It contains 4 to 8 percent of alcohol.
Brief Description of Alcoholic Beverages
• Whisky – is made by distilling the fermented juice of cereal grain such
as corn, rye or barley. Scotch whisky was originally made in Scotland.
The word “Scotch” has become almost synchronous with whisky of
good quality.
• Rum – is a distilled beverage made from fermented molasses or
sugarcane juice.
• Brandy – is distilled from fermented fruit juices. Brandy is usually aged
in oak casks. The colour of brandy comes from either the casks or
from caramel that is added.
Brief Description of Alcoholic Beverages
• Gin – is a distilled beverage. It is a combination of alcohol, water and
various flavors. Gin does not improve with age, so it is not stored in
wooden casks.
• Liquors – are made by adding sugar and flavouring such as fruits, herb
or flowers to brandy or to a combination of alcohol and water. Most
liquers contain 20-65 percent alcohol. They are usually consumed in
small quantities after dinner.
Types of Alcoholic Beverages
Beverage Source Alcohol Content (percentage)
Brandy Fruit Juices 40-50
Whisky Cereal Grains 40 -55
Rum Molasses/sugarcane 40-55
Wines (Port, Sherry, Champagne, Grapes (also other fruits) 10-22
etc)
Beer Cereals 4-8
Common Local Brew in the South-East Asia
Region
• Arrack is a distilled beverage, obtained from paddy or wheat. Jaggery,
sugar, or sugarcane is added to either of these two cereals and boiled
with water. This is allowed to ferment, after which it is distilled. This
beverage contains about 50-60 percent of alcohol.
• Toddy is obtained from the flowers of a coconut or palm tree. A white
liquid, with a sweetish taste, oozes out of these flowers. When
consumed fresh, this juice has no intoxicating effect. This liquid is
collected and allowed to ferment. At times, yeast is added to hasten
the process. The fermented juice has an alcohol content of
approximately 5-10 per cent.
Equivalence of Different Beverages
• The volume-by-volume strength of alcoholic beverages varies
considerably.
• The equivalence of different beverages is measured in terms of
“units” of alcohol.
• One unit is equal to approximately 10 grams of absolute alcohol, ofter
considered as one drink, since it is available from 30 ml (1 fluid ounce
or small peg) of spirits like whisky, rum or brand.
• The same amount of alcohol, one unit, is also available from a glass of
wine, which is generally 120 ml or half a pint or 285ml of beer.
Alcoholism (Dependence on Alcohol)
• Alcoholism, or alcohol dependence is a medical term with a deliberately
more precise. Meaning than the problems that can occur, sometimes as
one-offs, through an uncharacteristic bridge.
• In alcohol dependence a number of features come together in the
behavior of the person affected
• Drinking begins to take priority over other avtivities.
• It becomes a compulsion
• Tolerance develops, it takes more alcohol to produce drunkenness.
• Withdrawal symptoms such as anxiety and tremor develop after a short period
without a drink, and are reduced by taking more alcohol.
Often alcohol dependence remains undetected for years.
Sign of Alcoholism
• As alcohol levels increase with more drinking, there is poor control of muscles,
poor coordination, double vision, flushing of the face, bloodshot eyes, and
vomiting.
• Behavior varies greatly. It is hard to predict what an intoxicated person will do
next.
• He/she may cry bitterly, show unexplained happiness, change moods rapidly, or
just pass out.
Note: “Passing out” or “falling asleep” can be a warning sign that the person is
actually in a dangerous alcohol coma. Shipmates may assume the person is safely
asleep, when he/she may actually be in a life-threatening coma. Take care to
monitor a shipmate’s condition and make certain that he is breathing and
responsive. Get immediate help if you suspect