Inhaling the drug gets to the bloodstream a little bit slower compared to IV injection. Inhaling the drug reaches the bloodstream either through the nasal membranes or through the lungs. Finally the longest and gentler of the three forms of administering a drug into the body is by eating. The drug takes longer to reach the bloodstream because it has to go through the process of digestion in the stomach first. However, according to Greenberg (2008), if the drug being used is alcohol then immediately some of the alcohol is absorbed by the stomach, and the rest is then passed onto the small intestine where it is rapidly absorbed by the blood (86). Although if there is food in the stomach, then most of the alcohol will be absorbed by the food before being absorbed by the stomach and small intestine. Therefore, while eating or drinking a drug may take longer to reach the bloodstream, the effects it can have on the brain can still be extensive and irreversible. .
Alcohol in Teenagers.
Excessive drinking of alcoholic beverages is bad for everyone's health in many ways, but it is especially damaging to a teenagers developing brain. A teenager's brain is still undergoing many developmental changes so a drunken night out with friends can potentially have long lasting effects on teenager's brain. The prefrontal cortex of the brain, which is the area that sits behind the forehead, is the slowest to reach maturity. The prefrontal cortex is responsible for inhibitory control, which is the ability to stop oneself from acting impulsively, and it is also responsible for the working memory and decision-making (Hopson, 2013). .
A recent longitudal study that was published in the journal Psychology of Addictive Behaviors was done by Tapert who looked at 12 to 14 year old boys and girls before the use of drugs and alcohol. Over time some of the teens started drinking heavily and some remained non-drinkers.