Smart Serve Ontario Signs of Intoxication 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: How does body weight affect alcohol intoxication?
- Body weight has no effect
- Larger individuals generally have more body water to dilute alcohol, resulting in lower BAC per drink (Correct answer)
- Lighter individuals become intoxicated more slowly
- Body weight only matters for men, not women
Correct answer: Larger individuals generally have more body water to dilute alcohol, resulting in lower BAC per drink
People with greater body mass generally have more body water to dilute alcohol, which means the same amount of alcohol produces a lower BAC compared to a smaller person.
Question 2: Why do women generally reach higher BAC levels than men after consuming the same amount of alcohol?
- Women drink faster than men
- Women typically have a higher percentage of body fat, less body water, and lower levels of alcohol dehydrogenase enzyme (Correct answer)
- Women metabolize alcohol faster
- There is no difference between men and women
Correct answer: Women typically have a higher percentage of body fat, less body water, and lower levels of alcohol dehydrogenase enzyme
Women typically have higher body fat percentage, less body water to dilute alcohol, and lower levels of the alcohol dehydrogenase enzyme, all of which contribute to higher BAC levels from the same amount of alcohol.
Question 3: What are the signs of severe intoxication that require immediate action?
- Laughing loudly
- Loss of consciousness, vomiting, extremely slow breathing, or inability to stand (Correct answer)
- Ordering non-alcoholic drinks
- Speaking slowly and deliberately
Correct answer: Loss of consciousness, vomiting, extremely slow breathing, or inability to stand
Signs of severe intoxication including loss of consciousness, persistent vomiting, very slow or irregular breathing, and complete inability to stand require immediate action, including calling emergency services.
Question 4: How does consuming alcohol on an empty stomach affect intoxication?
- It has no effect
- Alcohol is absorbed much more quickly without food, leading to faster and higher BAC increases (Correct answer)
- Food only slows down beer absorption, not spirits
- An empty stomach protects against intoxication
Correct answer: Alcohol is absorbed much more quickly without food, leading to faster and higher BAC increases
Without food in the stomach, alcohol passes directly to the small intestine where it is absorbed rapidly into the bloodstream, leading to quicker and higher BAC levels compared to drinking with food.
Question 5: What is 'tolerance' and how does it affect signs of intoxication?
- Tolerance means the person cannot get drunk
- Tolerance means a person may show fewer visible signs while still having a high BAC and being legally impaired (Correct answer)
- Tolerance eliminates the effects of alcohol on the body
- Tolerance only develops in people who drink spirits
Correct answer: Tolerance means a person may show fewer visible signs while still having a high BAC and being legally impaired
Tolerance means a regular drinker may display fewer obvious signs of intoxication at a given BAC level. However, they are still legally impaired and physically affected, making them harder but not impossible to identify.
Question 6: Which of the following is NOT a reliable indicator of intoxication?
- Slurred speech
- The number of drinks ordered, without considering the patron's behaviour (Correct answer)
- Loss of coordination
- Mood swings
Correct answer: The number of drinks ordered, without considering the patron's behaviour
The number of drinks alone is not a reliable indicator because intoxication depends on many factors including body weight, food intake, rate of consumption, and tolerance. Behavioural observation is more reliable.
Smart Serve Ontario Signs of Intoxication 3
How does body weight affect alcohol intoxication?