THE FIREWATER MYTH AND RESPONSE TO ALCOHOL IN MISSION INDIANS

Objective: This study aimed to assess empirically the intensity of rea ction to alcohol in a group of Native Americans. Method: Forty healthy , nonalcoholic Mission Indian men between the ages of 18 and 25 years were tested before and after ingestion of placebo and 0.75 ml/kg of al cohol. Subjective (self-report of feelings) and objective (blood press ure, pulse rate, and plasma cortisol level) measures of intoxication w ere taken before ingestion of alcohol and placebo and at 15, 30, 60, 9 0, and 120 minutes after Ingestion. Overall effects of alcohol were ev aluated, and the responses of subjects with less than 50% Native Ameri can heritage (N=19) were compared with the responses of subjects with at least 50% Native American heritage (N=21). Results: Alcohol did not produce any significant effects on any of the objective measures of i ntoxication; however, the subjects reported significant subjective eff ects of alcohol. Subjects with at least 50% Native American heritage r eported less intense effects of alcohol than did those with less than 50% Native American heritage, despite equivalent blood alcohol concent rations. Conclusions: These results contradict the ''firewater myth''- the theory that Native Americans are more sensitive to the effects of alcohol. Rather, the data indicate that Mission Indian men generally m ay be less sensitive to alcohol's effects, a physiological characteris tic that has been shown to be associated with a greater risk for alcoh olism In Caucasian populations. In addition, individuals with a greate r percentage of Native American heritage may be less sensitive to the subjective effects of alcohol than individuals with a smaller percenta ge of Native American heritage.