Alcohol is a very serious and dangerous drug, even though it is no longer treated that way. College students have taken drinking to a new level that, for many, is very scary. Alcohol is much more dangerous than many might think. Kids see a night of drinking as a great way to have fun and party, but they don't see the consequences. Getting drunk and even passing out can lead to many problems. When alcohol is consumed in unhealthy amounts, it can lead to not only short-term, but also long-term effects. Many people could tell you what alcohol will do to you. Blurred vision, memory loss, slurred speech, difficulty walking, and slow reaction times are all very common side effects depending on how much you consume (National Institute on Alcohol abuse, 2004). For the most part there is nothing wrong with this. Party all night, have fun, find a place to sleep, pass out and wake up in the morning. A couple of Advil and a glass of water and you're good to go, no harm done. This is where many go wrong. These effects are not just short term, but all add up over the long term. Some of these disorders are detectable after only one or two drinks and resolve quickly when you stop drinking. On the other hand, a person who drinks heavily over a long period may have brain deficits that persist even after achieving sobriety (National Institute on Alcohol abuse, 2004). Ethyl alcohol or ethanol, or more often known simply as alcohol, can come in the form of beer, wine or liquor. It has a depressant effect on the central nervous system, although many believe it is a stimulant. Many people become more energetic and stimulated, but this is only because alcohol affects the parts of the brain that control judgment. The stimulus... at the center of the card... tion. It not only has short-term but also long-term effects. Alcohol can lead to serious problems with the central nervous system, blood, muscles, liver and more. Underage drinking is a huge problem that needs to be taken seriously and no one should ever feel pressured to drink to look cool or fit in. One could only wish more people were educated on the issue and perhaps it would be taken more seriously. than it is now. Works Cited Dunlap, M.P. (n.d.). Retrieved from Biological Impacts of Alcohol Use: An Overview: www.oregoncounseling.org/articlespaper/documents.etohbiof.htmNational Institute on Alcohol Abuse. (2004, October). Retrieved 2012 from Alcohol Alert: http://pubs.niaa.nih.gov/publications/aa63/aa63.htmZelman, K. (1995, December). Excerpt from The Alcohol Debate: Should You or Shouldn't You: www.medicine.net