Re: "Power Hour" programming efforts

There are two different issues here.

The Power Hour as the first hour someone turns 21 and tries to get in 21 shots is one issue. That is what Minnesota and apparently ND have legislated against.

The Power Hour drinking game has nothing to do with this and most times will take place in a residence, not a bar, and by any age. The student at this web link describes doing many power hours, strategies for winning and provides a pretty accurate Excel spread sheet for calculating BAC and notes that one time he put himself well into the lethal range. <http://www.geocities.com/powerfulhour/> He recommends having an "enabler" present who will not drink into oblivion and can keep up with time, etc. Scary stuff.

Bob is right. There are a large number of web sites promoting this activity, maybe more than beer pong. We are plowing the beach at low tide.

BAM

Brian A. McMillen, Ph.D.
Professor of Pharmacology & Toxicology
Brody School of Medicine
East Carolina University
Greenville, North Carolina 27834

252-744-2758 office
252-744-3203 facsimile
mcmillenb_at_ecu.edu

> ----------
> From: Drug Abatement Research Discussion on behalf of Sue Thompson
> Reply To: Drug Abatement Research Discussion
> Sent: Friday, March 31, 2006 11:26 AM
> To: DRUGHIED_at_listserv.tamu.edu
> Subject: Re: "Power Hour" programming efforts
>
> Our state, North Dakota, passed legislation last year which limits when
> a 21 one year old can legally enter a bar. They can no longer get in at
> 12am on their birthday. Students say the power hour will simply occur
> the following day. However, I have not heard much talk about power hours
> from students since the legislation went in effect, which was this past
> fall.
>
> Sue Thompson, MA
> Outreach Coordinator
> North Dakota Higher Ed
> Consortium for Substance Abuse Prevention
> Box 8260/314 Cambridge, Suite 201
> Grand Forks, ND 582012-8260
> Phone Number (701) 777-4905
> fax (701) 777-0798
>
>
> >>> chapman_at_LASALLE.EDU 3/31/2006 9:59:45 AM >>>
> A colleague has contacted me asking what I know about efforts to
> combat/address student involvement in "Power Hour" activities, i.e.,
> attempting to drink a shot of beer a minute for an hour or roughly 7
> beers
> in an hour. Although not an unheard-of rate for college students, this
> is
> a drinking game that can have disastrous results for many if not most.
>
> Here are a couple "online references" to this phenomenon, but I and my
> colleague are interested in finding out if any schools are
> specifically
> targeting this drinking game with any educational or
> prevention/intervention efforts...and how effective you believe they
> have
> been.
>
> 1. "Power Hours" web site typical of the many online drinking game web
> sites: http://www.powerhourvx.com/
> 2. Minnesota's attempt to address "Power Hour" issue:
> http://www.mnsu.edu/news/read.php?id=old-1112967646
> 3. The Wickipedia article on "Power Hour":
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_Hour
>
> Interestingly, Google "power hour" and "drinking" and you get 126,000
> hits, most of which relate to drinking games...It would seem that we
> do
> have some stiff competition for our low-risk messages!
>
> Please feel free to contact me directly at chapman.phd_at_gmail.com as a
> "reply" to this note will send mail to the entire list.
>
> Best regards,
>
> Robert
> Robert J. Chapman, PhD
>
> Coordinator, AOD Program
> Associate Faculty, Clinical/Counseling Psychology
> La Salle University
> 1900 W. Olney Ave.
> Philadelphia, PA 19141-1199
> Phone: 215-951-1357 Fax: 215-951-1451
>
> mailto:chapman_at_lasalle.edu
> home page http://www.robertchapman.net
>
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>
>
Received on 03/31/06