The Physical Effects According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), alcohol and cannabis affect the body and brain in different ways, but both can have serious and lasting consequences—especially for teenagers, whose brains and bodies are still developing. Alcohol is a depressant that begins to impair judgment, coordination, and reaction time from the very first drink.
As more alcohol enters the bloodstream, it slows down critical functions of the body, such as:
Muscle coordination, balance, and reflexes.
The brain’s ability to process information and make decisions.
Heart rate and breathing—and in cases of alcohol poisoning, they can stop completely.
For teens, drinking alcohol is even riskier because their bodies absorb alcohol faster than adults, making impairment happen more quickly and severely.
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