10 Tips For Being Safe When Drinking (If Of Course Of Legal Age)

Thanks to Indiana University for segments of this list(click the link for more tips on drinking wisely)!

If you are of the legal age to consume alcohol there are certain things to keep in mind: 

1. Know your limit. Being sure you only drink what your body can handle is key.

2. Eat food while you drink. It is particularly good to eat high protein foods such as cheese and peanuts, which help to slow the absorption of alcohol into the circulatory system.   
3. Accept a drink only when you really want one. At a party if someone is trying to force another drink on you, ask for ice or drink a non-alcoholic  beverage.
 
4. Skip a drink now and then. When at a party, have a nonalcoholic drink between the alcoholic one to keep your blood alcohol concentration down. Space your alcoholic drinks out to keep the desired blood alcohol concentration.
 
5. When drinking out, if you must drive home, have your drinks with a meal, not afterwards. This allows time for the alcohol to be burned up and for it to be absorbed slowly into the circulatory system.
 
6. Beware of unfamiliar drinks. Such drinks as zombies and other fruit and rum drinks can be deceiving, as the alcohol is not always detectable, and it is difficult to space them out.
   
7. Appoint a designated driver. Have someone available who will not be drinking and will drive all drinkers home. This is critical if the person has consumed more than one drink per hour.
 
8. Check with your physician or pharmacy before you drink while on any prescription drug. Chemicals in medicine can interact with alcohol in dangerous ways.
 
9. Respect the rights of individuals who do not wish to drink. It is considered impolite to attempt to get people to drink who do not wish to. They may abstain for religious or medical reasons, because they are recovering alcoholics, or they just may not like the taste and effect it has on them.
 
10. Avoid drinking mixed drinks on an empty stomach on a hot day. This might produce hypoglycemia, which can cause dizziness, weakness, and mood change.