The Standard Drink in México

135 T he S tandard drink in M exico | E ffects reponsibility and moderation have on alcohol use “Some investigations have determined that an important risk reduction can be appreciated with just 10 grams of alcohol a day. Drinking more than 20 grams of alcohol a day, increases the risk of coronary illness. It seems that alcohol itself is the one that reduces the risk of suffering cardiac illnesses, regardless of the type of alcoholic drink being consumed. Drinking large amounts in a single occasion increases the risk of heart arrhythmias and of sudden death, of a coronary origin. While small quantities of alcohol can protect against cardiac illnesses, large quantities increase the risk and heavy drinking episodes can trigger heart arrhythmias, heart attacks or coronary death (Britton and Marmot 2004).” (CIJ 2010). This type of information is as important as as that concerning the negative health effects. It is necessary to notice that the negative effects are inherent and exclusive to the harmful use of alcohol in healthy adults. On the other hand, in the “Guide for medical urgencies regarding the treatment of intoxications, product of psychoactive substance abuse for doctors, nurses and paramedics” (2013) by Dr. Fernández Joffre there is a chart where the possible damages to the body after chronic consumption are listed (cirrhosis, gastric ulcers, pancreatitis, nutritional illnesses, endocrine complications, and alcoholic hepatitis, among many others). It is fundamental to stress the fact that the harmful use of alcohol doesn't only eliminate any