Commonly used term which refers to ethanol-containing alcoholic beverages. However, more broadly, the term can also be applied to any organic compound with a hydroxyl functional group bound to a carbon atom, such as methanol.
Questions tagged [alcohol]
89 questions
16
votes
1 answer
Are restrictions on the supply of alcohol effective at limiting the harm caused by or even the amount of alcohol consumed?
Different countries choose radically different ways to regulate peoples' access to alcohol. Some countries and some US states impose a state monopoly on alcohol sale ; others restrict the hours or days when alcohol is available for sale (see…
matt_black
- 56,186
- 16
- 175
- 373
15
votes
1 answer
Do alcoholic "digestives" help digestion?
Do alcoholic digestives (e.g. grappa, limoncello, sambuca) really help digestion after a heavy meal?
Michael
- 253
- 1
- 2
- 5
15
votes
3 answers
Is tequila a probiotic?
This viral video on Facebook, with 31 million views, claims that tequila is a probiotic, enhances insulin production, and helps potentiate certain medications.
Is there any truth to this?
S J Murphy
- 159
- 1
- 3
15
votes
1 answer
Do elephants like to get drunk?
While answering the question about elephants and mice, I was reminded of a clip I saw on The Big Bang Theory.
The common lore is that they eat the fermenting fruit of the Marula Tree. But that makes me wonder:
Is there enough alcohol to affect an…
Larian LeQuella
- 44,977
- 18
- 187
- 208
15
votes
3 answers
Does alcohol cause cancer?
The latest Cancer Council of Australia claims that alcohol "probably caused about 5.6 per cent of cancers in Australia" and that there is no safe amount of alcohol to consume.…
Samuelson
- 3,781
- 2
- 29
- 44
15
votes
1 answer
Do heavy drinkers outlive nondrinkers?
This claim has all the hallmarks of a made up story (too good to be true, against common wisdom, etc.), but is being spread around social media and appears on TIme, who sources it to a scientific paper.
But even after controlling for nearly all…
Sklivvz
- 78,578
- 29
- 321
- 428
15
votes
1 answer
Does Purell promote antibiotic resistance or "superbugs"?
In its FAQ, the company states:
Does Purell® instant hand sanitizer contribute to antimicrobial resistance?
No, because alcohol evaporates completely, there is no alcohol left behind to promote adaptation. Alcohol has been used in health care for…
samthebrand
- 4,730
- 4
- 32
- 56
14
votes
1 answer
Does de-stigmatization of alcohol lead to less drunkenness?
It is said (among those that I know) that allowing a minor to consume some alcohol actually encourages responsible behavior when older. The explanations vary, but most have concluded that the removal of the stigma removes the mysticism from the…
cwallenpoole
- 1,058
- 8
- 17
14
votes
2 answers
Did the Dalai Lama cause Mongolians to significantly reduce their alcohol consumption?
In an interview with John Oliver in S04E04 of Last Week Tonight there's the exchange:
Dalai Lama: One of my previous visits in Mongolia, they drank a lot of Vodka [...] I suggested: Drink much less Vodka [...] instead of that, their traditional…
Christian
- 33,271
- 15
- 112
- 266
14
votes
1 answer
Are 3 in 4 attenders at hospital emergency departments on weekends there because of alcohol?
This claim has been widely repeated this week in many newspapers and news sites (e.g. arstechnica). Here is how the Daily Telegraph repeats it:
Three in four people in accident and emergency units at the weekend have been admitted because of…
matt_black
- 56,186
- 16
- 175
- 373
13
votes
0 answers
Does mixing watermelons with alcohol cause liver damage?
Recently there's been an influx of articles in Polish media warning against consuming alcohol and watermelons (titles via Google Translate):
Never combine with alcohol. You can damage your liver
Watermelon and alcohol are a bad combination. Here's…
gaazkam
- 2,635
- 3
- 15
- 25
13
votes
2 answers
Can you get drunk with Vodka vapour using a humidifier?
Can one get drunk with Vodka vapour using a humidifier? As it was shown in a Simpsons episode.
jimjim
- 426
- 1
- 3
- 13
13
votes
2 answers
Does lowering the legal BAC make driving safer?
Lower legal blood alcohol concentration limit laws are passed under the assumption that a lower legal limit will reduce the number of accidents.
For example, the U.S government lowered the legal BAC for driving from 0.1% to 0.08%.
Is there any…
GBa
- 1,541
- 2
- 14
- 16
13
votes
1 answer
Does drinking recommended amounts of alcohol do more harm to children aged 13 to 18 than it does to adults?
The National Institute for Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism strongly implies that consuming any alcohol at all while under the age of 18 is excessively detrimental to one's health.
While never stated outright, this implication is visible in places such…
called2voyage
- 1,711
- 16
- 26
12
votes
0 answers
Did more more Pilgrims die from drowning after getting drunk than were killed by Native Americans?
Joy Browne's 2011 book Dating For Dummies says:
Alcohol has been, is now, and will continue to be for the foreseeable future the major drug of abuse in this country. (More Pilgrims drowned in the canals after getting drunk and falling overboard on…
user57011
- 121
- 2