Other students said even though they did not drink all 21 shots on their birthdays, they certainly felt the effects of the inundation of alcohol in their systems. Fraternity members said they are concerned that the recent tragedy will reflect poorly on the Greek system. He was a normal guy out with his friends. The Interfraternity Council has many programs in place to promote safety. The effects of alcohol on the body vary according to weight, gender and tolerance.
Alcohol is absorbed into the bloodstream more rapidly on an empty stomach.
Taking prescription or recreational drugs while drinking can send the body into cardiac arrest. It is important for students to realize anything from medication to being tired can cause even normally tolerable amounts of alcohol to have a profound impact on their bodies, according to Dr. Robert Derlet, chief of the emergency department at the UCD Medical Center. As students drink, they need to consider such factors and monitor their level of intoxication. Derlet said he has seen students stop breathing after consuming 10 drinks - approximately half the number of drinks many undergraduates attempt on their 21st birthdays. The other reason they come in is because they are emotionally out of control and their friends don't know what to do with them or the police bring them in.