Study outlines the dangers of pre-drinking

By: John Boldrick

BELLEVILLE, Ont. (12/11/12) Denver Gooderham sits in the Shark Tank pun nursing a beer. Gooderham, like many others in his age group, enjoys partakes in pre-drinking before heading out for a night on the town. Photo by John Boldrick.

Denver Gooderham slowly rises from his bed. He lets out a big yawn, evidence that last night had ended only a few short hours ago.

For some, the effects of the big night would be evident: lack of sleep, an uneasy stomach, and headaches. Simple aliments that are accepted consequences of a night out, but not for Gooderham, as he has found a way to prevent feeling the effects of the booze long after the last drop has touched his lips.

“It’s definitely a lot better for a hangover, if you can prevent it, it’s always best,” he said.

No, it isn’t some kind of miracle cure or magic powder that turns hangovers into a hoax. It’s pre-drinking.

Pre-drinking is the act of having a couple of drinks, getting a buzz, before going out to the bar for the night.

Gooderham may be an exception to the rule.

Recently, a Swiss based study was released, outlining the dangers of the practice. In the study, it showed that those who have a couple of cocktails before bar hopping tended to drink twice as much as they normally would had they skipped the pre fiesta festivities.

The extra drinks often lead to unfortunate consequences. Among the horrors included are unplanned drug use, and blackouts. It also showed tendencies towards vandalism, property damage and unintended sexual intercourse.

Obviously, drinking large quantities throughout a night out can have rather immediate negative effects on your health.

Loyalist College’s on-campus nurse Lauren Deans said that memory loss, injuries and lacerations are among the most common injuries after a long night out.

If your night out becomes a common practice, the list of health risks begins to grow longer and far more severe. Damage to vital organs such as the brain and liver quickly become a reality.

“You certainly can’t replace the brain. They’re having a little bit of luck with the liver, but still it’s not good,” she said.

If that isn’t enough to scare you into a panic, it get’s worse for those who drink too much.

“If the too much is above and beyond alcohol poisoning, it can even cause death,” said Deans.

It all may seem like a lot. We’ve all heard cautionary tales involving someone who drank too much and then paid dearly for their actions. Whether it be injuries, arrests, liver damage or death, it’s clear that drinking in excess is a dangerous practice, but no one is saying you have to put down the bottle for good.

There are still ways to enjoy the barley ale or whatever you drink you prefer, while being able to keep your mind, body and liver intact.

While the study told of the potential horrors of pre-drinking, there are ways to perfect the practice so that it isn’t all bad.

The study says that people would routinely have between four and five drinks per night at the bar. If they drank beforehand, their total number of drinks in the night climbed by almost double.

Gooderham doesn’t agree with the assessment. He said that while there is a risk of drinking too much, if you pre-drink, there are benefits to be had.

“By the time I’m at the bar, I’m already at a healthy buzz level and I don’t feel the need to drink as much as I would if I didn’t pre drink,” he said.

Gooderham usually has between five and six pre-drinks before going out. It’s a part of his evening that he has no problems with.

“I don’t see an issue with it. Most students are going to pre-drink because it’s going to cut down on their bill because most students are on a tight budget, they’re going to spend, if they can, only about $20-$40 on drinks at the bar, as opposed to if they don’t pre-drink, then they have a better chance of spending $100-$150 depending on how much they are willing to spend and drink,” he said.

Gooderham said pre-partying saves wear and tear on his body.

“If I’m having that, my amount at the bar is cut in half, so I’ll only have about 2-3 drinks as opposed to not pre-drinking I’ll have about 6-10 drinks,” he said.

Having dealt with drunks for 32 years, Deans has certainly seen her fair share of circumstances. She offers her own words of advice to those planning a big night out.

“If you’re going to have some drinks, have dinner or certainly have some food with it,” she said, “If you’ve already had dinner and you want to do the pre-drinking certainly pull out some snacks. Things that are good for you but things that are going to hold a balance between the alcohol and your poor system.”