One is that alcohol (from beer, wine, hard liquor or other sources) does not appear in the body in any other form (i.e. gas) that would cause ambiguities or false positive results. The other is that, unlike drugs which are deposited directly in the hair, these alcoholic substances break down into ethanol. The AbuseCheck™ Hair Alcohol Abuse Test is unique in that the procedure looks for direct byproducts of ethanol metabolism, and not just ethanol itself. Thus, the presence of other forms of alcohol such as isopropanol (rubbing alcohol) or ethylene glycol (antifreeze) do not have an influence in the results.

To that end, AbuseCheck™ conducts two distinct types of hair alcohol tests called FAEE and EtG hair testing, which test for different types of markers and report on alcohol abuse over different periods of time. The most common use for these products is in child custody cases, where one or both parents are being accused of regularly consuming excessive amounts of alcohol. Both the FAEE and EtG Hair Alcohol Abuse Test are well established and proven science which leads to an accurate result for proving whether a person has been drinking alcohol excessively.

To find out more about How AbuseCheck™ Works.

Drinking is a problem if it causes trouble in your relationships, in school, in social activities, or in how you think and feel. If you are concerned that either you or someone in your family might have a drinking problem, talk to your doctor. If you rink everyday with every meal, you probably should check with your doctor. Also drinking is a cutural thing. In Japan, every man is expected to drink after long hour at work. So their alcoholics probably need much higher dose to qualify as an alcoholic.

Keep a small amount or no alcohol at home. Don’t keep temptations around.

Drink slowly.

When you drink, sip your drink slowly. Take a break of 1 hour between drinks. Drink soda, water, or juice after a drink with alcohol. Do not drink on an empty stomach! Eat food when you are drinking.

Take a break from alcohol.

Pick a day or two each week when you will not drink at all. Then, try to stop drinking for 1 week. Think about how you feel physically and emotionally on these days. When you succeed and feel better, you may find it easier to cut down for good.

Learn how to say NO.

You do not have to drink when other people drink. You do not have to take a drink that is given to you. Practice ways to say no politely. For example, you can tell people you feel better when you drink less. Stay away from people who give you a hard time about not drinking.

Stay active

What would you like to do instead of drinking? Use the time and money spent on drinking to do something fun with your family or friends. Go out to eat, see a movie, or play sports or a game.

Get support.

Cutting down on your drinking may be difficult at times. Ask your family and friends for support to help you reach your goal. Talk to your doctor if you are having trouble cutting down. Get the help you need to reach your goal.

Watch out for temptations.

Watch out for people, places, or times that make you drink, even if you do not want to. Stay away from people who drink a lot or bars where you used to go. Plan ahead of time what you will do to avoid drinking when you are tempted.

Do not drink when you are angry or upset or have a bad day. These are habits you need to break if you want to drink less.

DO NOT GIVE UP!

Most people do not cut down or give up drinking all at once. Just like a diet, it is not easy to change. That is okay. If you do not reach your goal the first time, try again. Remember, get support from people who care about you and want to help. Do not give up!

Source: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

Why do you want to drink less? There are many reasons why you may want to cut down or stop drinking. You may want to improve your health, sleep better, or get along better with your family or friends. Make a list of the reasons you want to drink less.

2. Set a drinking goal.

Choose a limit for how much you will drink. You may choose to cut down or not to drink at all. If you are cutting down, keep below these limits:

Women: No more than one drink a day

Men: No more than two drinks a day

A drink is:

• a 12-ounce bottle of beer;
• a 5-ounce glass of wine; or
• a 1 1/2-ounce shot of liquor.

These limits may be too high for some people who have certain medical problems or who are older. Talk with your doctor about the limit that is right for you.

Source: Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). Reprinted with permission.

• Benefits

Heart disease: Once thought of as a threat mainly to men, heart disease also is the leading killer of women in the United States. Drinking moderately may lower the risk for coronary heart disease, mainly among women over age 55. However, there are other factors that reduce the risk of heart disease, including a healthy diet, exercise, not smoking, and keeping a healthy weight. Moderate drinking provides little, if any, net health benefit for younger people. (Heavy drinking can actually damage the heart.)

• Risks

Drinking and driving: It doesn’t take much alcohol to impair a person’s ability to drive. The chances of being killed in a single-vehicle crash are increased at a blood alcohol level that a 140-lb. woman would reach after having one drink on an empty stomach.

Medication interactions: Alcohol can interact with a wide variety of medicines, both prescription and over-the-counter. Alcohol can reduce the effectiveness of some medications, and it can combine with other medications to cause or increase side effects. Alcohol can interact with medicines used to treat conditions as varied as heart and blood vessel disease, digestive problems, and diabetes. In particular, alcohol can increase the sedative effects of any medication that causes drowsiness, including cough and cold medicines and drugs for anxiety and depression. When taking any medication, read package labels and warnings carefully.

Breast cancer: Research suggests that as little as one drink per day can slightly raise the risk of breast cancer in some women, especially those who are postmenopausal or have a family history of breast cancer. It is not possible, however, to predict how alcohol will affect the risk for breast cancer in any one woman.

Source: http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/brochurewomen/women.htm#drinking