OcTOBER 25, 2006

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THE CADRE @ 6

Hangovers: A Universal University Pandemic

Beth Lassaline Contributor -

Hangovers. As long as people have been indulging in alcohol, there have been people who have severely suffered the next morning.

Headaches, nausea, thirst, and an overall crappy feeling have plagued people for generations. Subsequently, over the years, much debate has occurred over what one can do to relieve a hangover. What are students around campus using for hangover cures?

Many students swore by a big, greasy breakfast, preferably at Maid Marion’s, to help them feel better the next morning, while others simply drank a cup of strong coffee or spent the day sleeping off their hangover.

A third year Arts student claimed that downing a few tabs of Gravol with a big glass of water before she sleeps usually does the trick. Other students said that they would take Vitamin B6 or Vitamin C in the morning. People who said that they drink tomato juice, orange juice or

C Ps x of

’ Chaser Plus The Hangover Cure ina Pill

Gatorade may actually be on to something.

The acid in the tomato juice and orange juice can help reduce the effects of a hangover. Also believed to be equally effective, was the Gatorade. It’s filled with electrolytes so it helps your body recover as well as helps reduce thirst. It was also noted that drinking alcohol mixed with water (like vodka, water and bar lime) helped to thwart the next morning’s hangover.

And, even though it is not recommended by doctors, many

students said that they indulged in the old ‘hair of the dog’ and simply just drank more alcohol the next morning.

Interestingly enough, nobody claimed that they had tried ‘hangover pills’.

Marketed under the name ‘Chasers,’ the

company’s website claims that they can “stop hangovers before they start.” The instructions are simple, take two ‘chasers’ with your first drink. Then, take two more pills for every six alcoholic drinks that you consume.

So, this seems pretty simple right? But, is there any scientific proof that these ten dollar pills work? Here’s a little science lesson brought to you by the friendly marketing directors of Chasers: the hangover cure’

When alcohol is consumed, the body negatively reacts to the alcohol’s congeners (congeners come from the fermentation of the alcohol) as if they were poison. Your immune system then begins mass producing a protein called cytokine. With this sudden mass production of cytokine, your body

suffers a few side effects, mainly, inflammation in the body that leads to the headaches, body aches and nausea. eee

Chasers are made of active calcium carbonate and vegetable carbonate, also known as active charcoal. They are designed to attract and absorb the congener agents that are in your stomach, preventing them from being detected by your body’s immune system.

Scientifically speaking, these hangover pills have got the goods. Even a study conducted by those same marketing directors said that 83 per cent of the people polled would recommend their product.

Doctors, on the other hand, say the ultimate search for the cure to a hangover is much simpler. There is no cure.

n the other hand, say the ultimate

search for the cure to a hangover is much more simple. There is no cure.

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Date Rape Drug Awareness PEI’s Cooperative Campaign for Education and Prevention Kent Aitken Reporter awareness about date rape drugs, their

existence on P.E.I. and how to defend If you’re bilingual, you may have yourself against them. noticed posters around The Wave educating fortunate readers about date Stickers, coasters and posters )

rape drugs. English-only students may have noticed posters before they got torn down (I’m sure the vandals didn’t specifically target the material, likely just ripping things down indiscriminately) or coasters on the

bar.

A committee consisting of The PEI Rape Crisis Centre, Women’s Network, Status of Women, UPEI Security, RCMP, Charlottetown City Police, Summerside City Police and the PEI Liquor Control Commission recently launched a campaign to spread

were distributed by the PEI Liquor Control Commission to drinking establishments around the Island. — Most of these materials have disappeared from The Wave - torn down, or in the case of coasters simply all used up. Hopefully there will be more in the future, because Rohypnol (roofie) is odorless and tasteless when dissolved in drinks, even water, and those are facts everyone should know.

The PEI Rape Crisis Centre can be reached at 894-5510. An open invitation has been extended to talk

Markham’s Behavioural Health

From the Blog Devoted to the Improvement of teh quality of life of human beings in the

UNIURTSE.

to Kelly Robinson, Project Coordinator, for more information on the campaign and date rape drugs themselves.

www.peirsacc.org

Of, if you need help or support, call the confidential 24 hour crisis line at 566-8999 or 1-800-289-5656.