Alcohol

What is alcohol?

Alcohol (Health Canada) (aka booze, sauce, hooch, and other nicknames) is the common name for ethanol/ethyl alcohol. Pure ethanol is a clear substance with intoxicating and psychoactive properties. Alcohol is produced through the process of distilling or fermenting fruits, grains, or vegetables.

Alcoholic beverages

The strength of an alcoholic beverage varies depending on the fermenting or distilling process.^1,2

Fermented alcoholic beverages have an alcohol content that varies, but usually is between 0.5% and 20%. Examples of fermented alcoholic beverages include ciders, wine, beer, coolers.
Distilled alcoholic beverages (aka ‘spirits’) have an alcohol content of 25% or higher. Examples of distilled alcoholic beverages include rum, vodka, gin, whiskey.

There are two other common types of alcohol which are NOT safe to drink and can cause severe, life-threatening effects such as seizures, coma, internal bleeding, or death^1,3:

Isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) is used for sterilization, cleaning and in cosmetic products. Isopropyl alcohol can be found in hand sanitizer.
Methyl alcohol (methanol) is used as an industrial solvent and de-icer. Methanol can be found antifreeze and fuel for barbeques or camping stoves. Methanol can also be found in moonshine or bootleg alcohol.

What are the effects of alcohol?

Alcohol will have the same effects regardless of the type of beverage consumed. The effects of alcohol can be different from person to person and may depend on¹:

age
gender
the amount of alcohol consumed
how quickly the alcohol was consumed
body size
the amount of food eaten
overall health and pre-existing health conditions
medications being taken
past experiences with drinking
mood

Alcohol is a strong central nervous system (CNS) depressant. This means that alcohol slows down brain functions, thought processes, and can affect other bodily functions such as heart rate and breathing. Combining alcohol with other drugs, including cannabis, can increase its effects and lead to a higher risk of complications including poisoning (overdose) and death. Try to avoid mixing alcohol and other substances to reduce your risk of injury.⁴

Short-term effects^1,2,4

euphoria and intoxication (‘high’)
relaxation
a sense of well-being
having less control over your actions (disinhibition)
impulsive behaviour
memory loss and blackouts
drowsiness
impaired attention, concentration, and judgement
slowed reaction time
slurred speech
aggressiveness or violence
flushed skin
nausea or vomiting

Severe alcohol intoxication can lead to alcohol poisoning (overdose) which can look like⁴:

confusion and altered level of consciousness (stupor), including:
- inability to wake someone up or keep them awake
- unresponsiveness
- coma
difficulty breathing or respiratory arrest (when someone stops breathing completely)
slow heart rate
clammy skin and/or hypothermia
seizures
death

Long-term effects^2,4

impaired memory
difficulty concentrating
learning difficulties
negative impact on mental health
developing dependency (addiction) to alcohol
several health conditions including cirrhosis, pancreatitis, diabetes, cancer(s)

How long does it take for alcohol to take effect?⁴

The length of time it takes for you to feel the effects of alcohol can vary depending on if you have eaten and what types of food you’ve eaten prior to or while you are drinking, and how quickly your body can digest and absorb alcohol (your metabolism). For instance, food with higher protein and fat contents will slow the absorption of alcohol and its effects. Alcohol will take effect much quicker if you drink on an empty stomach.

Alcohol will continue to circulate through your body until your liver eliminates it, a small amount of alcohol will exit the body through sweat, urine, and breathing.

What factors impact the effects experienced by alcohol consumption?

There are many factors that can influence the impact that alcohol can have on your physical and mental health:

how often alcohol is used
how much alcohol is used
personal history of mental illness or trauma
other pre-existing health conditions
family history of mental illness or substance use disorders
age
gender

For more detailed information about the effects of alcohol on your health and other risks, visit our Alcohol and your health webpage.

Alcohol legislation

Alcohol is a legal and regulated substance in Canada. The regulations, laws, and bylaws surrounding alcohol sales, production, distribution, and possession are shared between federal, provincial, and regional/territorial governments.

In Ontario, there are several governing agencies and bodies such as the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario and the Liquor Control Board of Ontario that control the sale, licencing, distribution, importation, distribution, and social responsibilities of alcohol.

Laws and regulations in Ontario that apply to the sale and use of alcohol include:

Liquor Control Act, 1990 (Government of Ontario)
Liquor Licence Act, 1990 (Government of Ontario)
Alcohol and Gaming Regulation and Public Protection Act, 1996 (Government of Ontario)
Wine Content and Labelling Act, 2000 (Government of Ontario)
Sections within the Highway Traffic Act, 1990 (Government of Ontario)
Sections within the Criminal Code of Canada, 1985 (Government of Canada)

Examples of laws and regulations in Ontario

The legal drinking age in Ontario and most other provinces and territories is 19.
Novice drivers and those aged 21 and under must have a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level of zero.
Driving while impaired by drugs or alcohol is illegal
- If you are above the legal blood alcohol content (BAC) limit of 0.08 or are within the warning range (0.05 to 0.079), you can face charges
- Plan ahead and use a designated driver, public transit, ride share app, or call a taxi to arrive home safely and keep yourself and others safe.

For more information on alcohol laws and regulations visit our Alcohol and the law webpage.

Are you concerned about your drinking or someone else’s drinking?

If you have concerns about your alcohol use, or that of a loved one, you’re not alone. Help is available.

Download our resource on community programs, supports (PDF).
Visit mental health and addictions services Ontario (ConnexOntario). It offers services by phone, online chat, and email, and provides a directory of support services.
Learn more about alcohol (Health Canada).
Reach out to your health care provider.
Call Health Sciences North Crisis Services at 1.877.841.1101 (toll-free) or visit crisishelp.ca. Crisis services are available 24/7.
Call or text the National Suicide Crisis Helpline at 988, services are available 24/7.
In emergencies, call 911.

Learn more about alcohol:

Canada’s Guidance on Alcohol and Health: tips to reduce your risks

The Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA) released Canada’s Guidance on Alcohol and Health, to provide Canadians with updated, evidence-based information they need to make decisions about their alcohol consumption and reduce their risks.

Health Canada. (2021, July 5). About alcohol. https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/substance-use/alcohol/about.html
Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA). (2019). Alcohol (Canadian drug summary). https://www.ccsa.ca/alcohol-canadian-drug-summary
Ashurst, J.V., & Nappe, T.M. (2023). Methanol toxicity. StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK482121/
Health Canada. (2021, November 2). Health risks of alcohol. https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/substance-use/alcohol/health-risks.html
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). (n.d.). Do you know… Alcohol and other drugs and driving. https://www.camh.ca/en/health-info/guides-and-publications/alcohol-and-other-drugs-and-driving

This item was last modified on October 15, 2024