Alcohol affects the way the brain works by impairing mental and physical functions. Impairment increases as the amount of alcohol in the blood, BAC, rises. Different areas of the brain control different behaviors. As alcohol affects the major areas of the brain, certain changes occur, such as relaxed inhibitions, impaired judgment, slowed reactions and impaired coordination.
1. Relaxed inhibitions – A person will say or do things they normally would not
Bravado, loud speech, overly friendly, depressed, use of foul language.
2. Impaired Judgment – A person’s ability to make sound decisions diminishes
Drinking faster, ordering doubles, complaining about the strength of a drink (see Review Question below), buying rounds, acting belligerent.
3. Slowed reactions – A person’s ability to respond and react diminishes
Slurred speech, glassy eyes, loss of train of thought, lighting more than one cigarette, moving slowly, becoming tired.
4. Impaired coordination – A person’s motor skills will be affected
Staggering, spilling drinks, being unable to pick up things, falling off stool, swaying.
As you can see from the chart below, judgment is one of the first behaviors affected.
Sample Impairment Chart
| Approximate BAC | Impairment |
|---|---|
| 0.03% | Inhibitions, judgment, thought |
| 0.07% | Reaction time, movement, coordination |
| 0.08% | BAC when it becomes illegal to drive in PA |
| 0.12% | Vision, speech, balance |
| 0.19% | Walking, standing |
| 0.38% | Unconsciousness |
At BACs of 0.40 percent and above, hospitalization is probable and death is imminent.
Click the answer you believe is correct. If you know that the customer has a standard serving of alcohol in his drink and is complaining that there is no alcohol in the drink, what should you do as a server?
A. Take the drink and make a new one
B. Add more alcohol to the drink
C. Take the drink and replace with a non-alcoholic beverage
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