Binge drinking can be fatal on birthdays

BIRTHDAY, page 1 said.

The startling truth is that many people turning 21are aware of the dangers, yet they still celebrate without any concern for the possible outcome.

Jason Reinhardt and Bradley McCue are two tragic examples of the risk put forth at 21st birthday celebrations. Due to the over consumption of alcohol, the fatal- ities of these two young men have recently received widespread attention. Their deaths, however, have spawned a variety of awareness campaigns geared toward educating teens approaching that inevitable age.

The campaigns have been successful in educating youths, but there are still some 300 deaths annually due to alcohol poisoning according to the Task Force of the

National Advisory Council on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Only a small percentage of these deaths, however, are the result of 21st birthday celebrations. State legislatures still find it imperative that college students, especially, will be subjected to new laws barring alcohol at certain events and limiting consumption in order to stop possible casualties.

Tim made it through his spe- cial night and probably will not think twice about it. He did not, however, get through the night without performing quite an embarrassing act. His girlfriend, Ava, hesitantly revealed a moment Tim did not want to share.

It turns out that when Tim passed-out at the end of the night, he was not finished partying. Instead, he got out of bed in the middle of the night and left a brown, squishy reminder of his night in the trashcan of his cramped bedroom. Tim had no clue of the occurrence but surely was forced to sleep on the floor by his steadfast girlfriend, Ava.

“What, did the dog come in here in the middle of the night?” Tim asked Ava the following morning. “No, Tim, that was from you,” she said.