In the U.S., one "standard drink" has about 14 grams (0.6 ounces) of pure alcohol. This helps you understand how much alcohol you are really drinking, no matter the type of drink.
In Maryland, health experts use the idea of a standard drink to teach people about risky drinking, like binge or heavy drinking.
What Counts as One Standard Drink?
Beer: 12 ounces (like a regular can of beer, about 5% alcohol)
Wine: 5 ounces (like a small glass of wine, about 12% alcohol)
Liquor (like vodka, rum, whiskey): 1.5 ounces (a small shot, about 40% alcohol)
These examples show that different kinds of drinks can have the same amount of pure alcohol in them.
