Vernon Coalition hosts 'Mocktail Hour'

VERNON — “Mocktail Hour,” with cold ice and refreshing drinks turning cups blue.
Pretzels. Popcorn.
The Vernon Coalition knows how to throw a party.
On April 12, the Vernon Coalition served non-alcoholic drinks and educated attendees of the risks of alcohol with their new Intoxiclock Pro software. The Intoxiclock visually illustrates how a person's level of intoxication changes with increasing levels of alcohol consumption and the rate at which alcohol is metabolized depending on: weight, gender, and drinking pattern.
Youth Coordinator Gemma Chalkley spoke of how the coalition incorporates their four “Fatal Vision Alcohol Impairment Goggles” with the Intoxiclock, thus, simulating the effect of alcohol impairment. The goggles reflect four different Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) levels; and the coalition also uses Marijuana goggles.
Chalkley said, the students walk the line, touch the tip of a pencil, and throw a ball with and without wearing the goggles. Students ask, “People actually drive like this?”
She added, along with adolescent brain development, the workshop offers a sobering and powerful reminder to refuse providing alcohol to underage kids.
During the meeting, volunteers poured normal size “drinks” with amber colored liquid to determine the standard drinking size of: Jack Daniels, light beer, and red wine.
The Jack Daniels drink was over two standard drinking units; the 16 oz. light beer was about 1 and one quarter servings, and the red wine's standard drinking size was 5 oz., while white wine is 6 oz.
With the help of the Intoxiclock, Vernon Coalition Coordinator Rebecca Dorney determined the two whiskeys actually amounted to four drinks. Starting at 5 a.m. with one drink, the blood alcohol level would be .05 percent and metabolize out of the participant's system at 12:45 p.m. that night.
Dorney said, if someone thinks they had three beers, it could actually be closer to four, which makes a big difference.
She added, “We want people to identify how much they are drinking, so they can help their kids.”
Based on another participant's weight, Dorney explained, a 1.3 standard size glass of red wine would metabolize in three hours.
Surprisingly, Dorney said, a Strawberry Daiquiri is 4 standard drink units, which puts the (BAC) at .13.
Dorney added, “Gender does matter in drinking. End of story.”
She showed graphs of how long it takes for women to metabolize alcohol in comparison to men. Women take longer to metabolize the same amount of alcohol.
Dorney said, nowadays, women are keeping up with men in drinking, when they used to drink less than men.
During a focus group, Dorney asked college kids how much alcohol the designated driver should be allowed to drink. The young ladies said, no more than one drink per hour. Dorney responded, “One drink an hour does not a designated driver make.”
Chalkley said students also think taking a shower or drinking coffee will help. However, only time helps the blood alcohol level go back down to zero. Also, depending on what a young person may have consumed the night before, they may mistakenly think because it is morning, they are sober enough to drive home.
Dorney said our kids need to know that after drinking alcohol, good feels better; bad feels worse; angry is angrier; and sad is sadder.
Also, she added, if someone is pulled over due to erratic driving, one may be charged and convicted of a DUI, even with a BAC of .04. If authorities can prove alcohol was consumed through a breathalyzer test, one can be charged at a lower BAC than .08. Dorney said, “People do not know that.”
Dorney continued, the definition of binge drinking for a female is three drinks in one sitting; and for a male: five drinks in one sitting. Weekly binge drinking is seven drinks in a week for a female; and 11 for a male. She added, consistent binge drinking can cause a lot of harm.
“This is not to judge anyone, Dorney said, Rethink it, and whatever your healthy choices are, focus on the youth.” She added, “It's starting to open our eyes. We need to make sure we are having these conversations with out kids.”
The Vernon Coalition holds monthly meetings: Wednesday, 10 a.m. at the Vernon Township High School and 7 p.m. at the Senior Center. All are welcome.