Alcohol Effects: From Hours to Years

Two views of documented alcohol effects: how impairment escalates within hours, and how harm accumulates over years.

In the Short-Term view, hover any bar to read the documented effect at that level of blood alcohol concentration. Switch to the Long-Term view to see how repeated heavy use affects the body and life over years.

Illustrative summary for learning: the impairment scale and long-term ratings represent documented effects, not measured values, and effects vary by individual. See the Overdose Emergency Response section for what to do in an emergency.