Time to stop the deadly drinking craze

WE’VE all heard about the recent neknomination thing that has run wild on Facebook. If any of you are unsure what it is, it is basically downing a pint and nominating someone else to do the same. Originating in Australia, it basically determines how ‘manly’ someone is.

You may be wondering how did such a thing come to Ireland, but with the internet it swept through a lot of places. Irish emigrants also brought the idea back with them when they returned home.

I have to admit that I was one of those teenagers that watched some of them early on, and had a bit of a giggle. But like everything else, it’s all fun until something goes wrong. And sadly, something did go horrendously wrong.

Two young people died as a result of this craze.

In Australia, it’s classified as fun drinking, here, it’s an act of lunacy. A guy over in Australia who created the Facebook page has come out saying he has seen weird stuff but he didn’t expect it to snowball.

He also said he didn’t want people to die, and how innovation should be the main thing.

Of course, in Ireland we always have to outdo each other. Who can down the most shots, who can hold their drink and whatnot?

We know we have a problem with alcohol and binge drinking, but it’s never realistically going to stop.

Like every internet craze (the selfie, planking, etc), the only way the neknominations can stop is if we let them phase out eventually.

After the two young boys died, the number of nominations on my timeline definitely decreased very quickly.

There are obviously one or two idiots doing it still, but that’s their choice. I can’t stop them, you can’t, they’ll just do it.

Maybe they only feel they have to do it to be cool like everyone else, who really knows?

What everyone knows for sure is that someone must break the frightening cycle.

It might take a month, six months, a year, whatever, but trust me, it’ll wear itself out.

People need to realise we can’t control everything that starts a craze via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or whatever.

Sure, governments can think up a few silly laws, but people will always find ways to get around them.

Unfortunately, we just have to bide our time and wait until it goes away.

The only problem is, when #neknominations finally disappear, what will take their place next?