wellness for WU: 21 Shots

By: Maria Quinlan

Posted: 3/4/10

At 21 years old, you can walk into any corner gas station or Dirt Cheap store and buy all the liquor you can afford. You can get into strip clubs with no problem. And you now have the privilege to get wasted at any bar you choose. You're entering the good life, and it needs to be celebrated in a major way.

A typical 21st birthday might include getting dressed up, going out with friends to bars or clubs and, of course, drinking alcoholic beverages. There always seems to be some "friend" by your side pushing you to take shot after shot in order to live up the "21 for 21" tradition. You may even go for accomplishing this in the "power hour," which starts at the stroke of midnight, when a person is legally 21 on their 21st birthday, and by 1 a.m., the bars close. Do you go for it? Why not! The shots are free. It's a great night and you only turn 21 once.

Jesse Drews, a 21-year-old of Fox Lake, Wis, was somewhat reluctant to go out the night of his 21st because he didn't want to be hung-over the next day for a family event. He was coerced into going by a friend. He got home around 1 a.m. His parents had to help him make it to bed, and his mother checked on him throughout the night. He appeared fine until he was found not breathing. He died on his 21st birthday after a drinking binge.

We all have the potential of being in a situation like this. We should all know what to look for when it comes to alcohol poisoning.

According to the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, signs of alcohol poisoning include: Unconsciousness or semi-consciousness; slow breathing - eight breaths or less per minute or lapses of more than eight seconds between breaths; cold, clammy, pale or bluish skin and a strong odor of alcohol. The NCADD encourages people to call 911 if you encounter someone with these signs or symptoms and suggests turning the person on their side to help prevent choking after vomiting.

The "21 for 21" tradition is even more popular in recent years because of the ability to share the experience through Web sites by the way of photos and video. New 21-year-olds want to record their experience so they can remember it the next day and so they can show off what they accomplished during the night.

Awareness groups have begun to get the word out about the potential harm of drinking an insane amount in a short period of time. B.R.A.D. (Be Responsible About Drinking) is a group that was started by friends and family of Bradley McCue, a Michigan State University student who died on his 21st birthday from extreme drinking. The group warns people of the potential danger of alcohol poisoning. The Web site, www.brad21.org, provides information about alcohol poisoning, charts on how much alcohol you can handle (specific to your weight, height and gender), facts about how much alcohol is in different drinks and more.

I'm not saying everyone should stop having a good time on their 21st birthday, but turning 21 means you can drink, legally, forever. Why risk losing forever to try to satisfy some unrealistic tradition - one that could kill you. If you attempt these radical traditions, the night will be a blur. You won't be in control of yourself, and unless you have some really great, smart friends, they won't know when to make sure you stop. Drinking an obscene amount could result in death.