Advantages and Disadvantages of Alcohol | Risks, Benefits and Drawbacks, Positive Effects, Pros and Cons

Advantages and Disadvantages of Alcohol 2022: The consumption of various alcoholic items are increasing day by day. Alcohol is considered one of the important substances for medicinal use. In the same way, it is considered bad also as they are indulging people in misbehavior and violent activity. Today the whole world has recognized alcohol as a status symbol. At various parties and events, alcohol is also put on the buffet. But high consumption of alcohol can make a person prone to various diseases. Various factors affect alcohol consumption like societal factors which include economic development, social norms, etc. Drinking too much alcohol not only harms the person but also affects nearby people. Therefore one should use alcohol up to a limit. The government has also enacted certain laws to reduce the consumption of alcohol. Therefore we can say there are various advantages as well as disadvantages of alcohol.

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What is an Alcohol? Advantages and Disadvantages of Alcohol 2022

Alcohol is a flammable substance that helps in forming liquor like beer, wine, etc. Also used in making different medicines. Alcohol is formed when yeast ferments sugar in the absence of oxygen. Alcohol is also called sedative-hypnotic because it depresses the central nervous system at high doses. Sometimes it also induces a feeling of euphoria or the person talks a lot. There are mainly 4 types of alcohol:

• Ethyl
• Denatured
• Isopropyl
• Rubbing

The best we know is about ethyl alcohol also known as ethanol or grain alcohol as it ferments the sugar to form beer, vine, etc, and alcohol is also produced synthetically.

In chemistry, alcohol can be defined as the class of organic compounds having characteristics of hydroxyl (-OH) groups attached to the carbon atom of the alkyl group. Alcohol is also used in perfumes as a sweetener, in medicine, and many more. The two best-known alcohol is Ethanol and Methanol, ethanol is used in toiletries, pharmaceuticals, fuel, and as a liquid to sterilize the equipment in hospitals, and methanol is used for cleaning metal, used in manufacturing formaldehyde and special resins, used as fuel in antifreeze, etc. Let us see the advantages and disadvantages of Alcohol.

• Advantages of Alcohol
• Disadvantages of Alcohol
• Comparison Table for Advantages and Disadvantages of Alcohol
• FAQs on Pros and Cons of Alcohol

Advantages of Alcohol

Listed below are a few advantages of Alcohol.

1. Used in making different alcoholic drinks: Many alcoholic drinks like wine, beer, and other liquors are made which consist of a certain percentage of alcohol content. Most people drink alcohol at parties and celebrations. These are easily available in bars and liquor shops.
2. Used in making industrial spirit: Industrial methylated spirit which is also known as Industrial denatured alcohol falls in the group of denatured alcohol used in making industrial spirit, detergents, resins, and dyes.
3. Used as solvent as printing ink: Alcohol is also used as a solvent in printing ink that helps in giving a different smooth texture to the painting, reduces surface tension, and provides better wetting. It also acts as a cooling agent for rollers that move rapidly at high speed.
4. Used as fuel: Ethanol and methanol are used as fuel in many automobiles. Especially in racing cars, since the fuel burns completely and gives low emission of smoke therefore alcohol is used as fuel. Because of their property of higher octane rating, the fuel efficiency increased as compared to other fuels resulting in fuel economy.
5. For sweeteners and making perfumes: Ethanol is considered the main ingredient to carry the fragrance oil. It is volatile therefore when it comes in contact with warm skin and evaporates the fragrance stays on the skin.
6. Used in making different medicines: Pharmaceutical companies use a certain amount of alcohol. It acts as an antidote, antiseptic, and disinfectant. Alcohol is used in many syrups like cough syrup up to a certain level that causes nausea or dizziness but cures the disease soon.
7. For sterilizing different equipment for medical use: Surgical equipment after a certain user has to be cleaned up and for such cleaning or sterilizing alcohol is used. Alcohol is best considered for cleaning surgical equipment.
8. Sign of Social status:  Drinking Alcohol is considered to increase the status of people. As during earlier centuries, people used to assemble at one place to celebrate and use alcohol as a drink that keeps them in the mood to party. As they considered a certain amount of alcohol to be good for the body.
9. Alcohol is cheap: Alcohol is considered a cheap source of fuel as well as a beverage. The rates of alcohol are much lower than that of actual petroleum fuel available in the market as well as beverages too are available for various classes of people at different price ranges.

Disadvantages of Alcohol

Listed below are a few disadvantages of alcohol.

1. Increased domestic violence: As people drink alcohol they are less responsible and less stressed. They become a little carried away and become violent. Some people show violent behaviour at their house and physically abuse their family members. Therefore drinking alcohol increases domestic violence.
2. Highly flammable: Alcohol is considered a highly flammable substance therefore while using alcohol one should handle it with care and should avoid using alcohol and fire together.
3. Many liver-prone diseases may occur: Heavy drinking causes liver-prone diseases. This is because every time the liver filters alcohol, some of the liver cells die. The liver can generate new cells but continuing drinking can reduce its capacity to regenerate cells. Therefore causes liver failure.
4. People become lethargic and moody: Once people become addicted to alcohol they become lethargic and moody. They misbehave and sometimes physically abuse other people. Therefore alcohol intake is also considered evil in society.
5. Causes accidents if someone is drunk and driving: Alcohol makes a person dizzy and lethargic. Therefore it is instructed not to drive if you have an alcohol intake.
6. Many illegal and social evils take place due to alcohol: Alcohol reduces the person’s ability to judge and increases the risk of aggressive behaviour. Therefore Many murders, rapes, and other social evils are happening due to the heavy drinking habits of people.

Comparison Table for Advantages and Disadvantages of Alcohol

Below is the table comparing the advantages and disadvantages of Alcohol.

FAQs on Pros and Cons of Alcohol

Question 1.
What are the Effects of Alcohol?

Answer:
Alcohol has the following effects:

• Liver diseases
• Heart stroke
• High blood pressure
• Digestive problems
• Cancer and many more

Question 2.
Alcohol has some benefits also. What are they?

Answer:
Alcohol has some benefits they are:

• It is used in the industrial spirit
• It is used in medicine and syrups
• Used as fuel