The death of a teen who took part in a drinking game last month has sparked a conversation around binge drinking in Grande Prairie. 18 year old Brady Grattan passed away after taking part in a game that involved chugging hard alcohol. Grande Prairie Crime Prevention partners with the DrinkSmart organization, and Public Education Coordinator Kaylee Galipeau says people often don’t realize how much they’re drinking.
“When you’re saying to yourself, ‘oh, I’ve only had a couple,’ it can be many times more, especially at house parties. The perception that you’re having one or two drinks when in reality you’re having four or five or even more is what gets really dangerous.”
Binge drinking is classified as four or more drinks like a can of beer or glass of wine for women and five or more for men. However, Galipeau says there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to drinking responsibly.
“Alcohol affects different people in different ways. We encourage people to be aware of their reactions and take pause; just really be aware of your body and how it’s reacting. We really encourage people to sip their drinks and not chug or shoot them.
In order to drink responsibly, people should measure out their drinks and have some food and water throughout.