Tag Archives: safer drinking strategies

Advice from Take the Lead 2014: Know your limits

Penn State Take the Lead 2014
Penn State Take the Lead 2014

As part of the 2014 Take the Lead campaign, Off-Campus Student Union President Luke Amory recommends that students know their limits and stick to them.

This is great advice, but how do you figure out what limit to set? Understanding how alcohol affects the body may help you. Although it’s classified as a depressant drug, alcohol produces stimulant effects (a “buzz”) when consumed at low levels. After a person’s blood alcohol concentration (BAC) rises above 0.06, alcohol’s depressant nature kicks in, producing the negative effects associated with drinking too much (ex. slurred speech and impaired motor skills).

So, if you choose to drink, keep your BAC below 0.06. To determine how many drinks per hour will put a person of your sex and weight at or around a 0.06 BAC, use the charts below. For example, if you are a female who is between 140 and 160 lbs., having two drinks or fewer per hour will help you avoid experiencing alcohol’s negative depressant effects. Click here for tips on how to stick to your limit.

Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) Chart
Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) Chart