Warning over internet drinking craze

Following last week’s warning by the Orkney Alcohol and Drugs Partnership over the internet drinking craze ‘Nek Nomination’, NHS Orkney’s director of public health, Dr Louise Wilson, has reiterated the dangers of this game following an admission to the Balfour hospital suspected to be linked to craze.

Dr Wilson said, “We are very concerned about young people putting themselves into danger through this craze. Mixing high volumes of alcohol and consuming quickly can prove fatal, particularly in young people. We certainly don’t want the Orkney community to experience a tragedy as a result of this ‘game’.”

Orkney Alcohol and Drugs Partnership issued their warning last week about the potential dangers of this craze.

They are now trying to reach out to parents to be aware of the peer pressure surrounding young people to take part and the role parents have in supporting their children to resist peer pressure.

PC Joanna Murray, Community Safety Officer, Police Scotland in Kirkwall said that she encouraged parents to be aware of what their children are doing on Facebook, with a view to keeping them safe.

On the subject of people trying to out do each other when it comes to the quantities and types of alcohol which it looks like is being consumed in some of the videos, she said that there is no guarantee that what appears to be in the bottle is actually what it says on the label.

She added that people who attempted to consume high quantities of alcohol, especially spirits, were putting themselves at real risk.

She also said that if there are any offences committed as part of the craze they will be dealt with in the appropriate way.