RID President, Doris Aiken and James Schaefer, retired director of the office of alcohol other drug abuse programming at the University of Minnesota, tell how to ensure a successful and safe party.
Plan the event carefully. Estimate how much alcohol to have on hand, based on the number of guests and the length of the party (one drink per guest per hour) and limit the amount of liquor you purchase in the first place.
Suggest the concept of the “designated driver”. One person is elected in advance to be the driver for the evening. That person agrees not to drink.
Regard alcohol as the highly toxic substance it is, know its effects. Importantly, know yourself and how much you can consume.
Know the law in your state and follow it. At parties with youths, be conscious of the drinking age and remember, serving minors is illegal. Hosts may be liable for impaired minors’ accidents.
Provide attractive, non-alcoholic drinks as a matter of course. Make them look festive, not buried in the ‘fridge.
Avoid carbonated mixers in favor of non-carbonated ones (such fruit juice.) Carbonation speeds alcohol absorption.
Provide nutritious, attractively presented foods throughout the evening so the alcohol won’t be totally absorbed into the bloodstream.
Avoid having an open bar and be certain to measure all drinks. Enjoy, savor, and sip, but treat alcohol as a drug. Don’t push guests to drink. One drink per hour is about all the body can absorb. Adrink is a 1.5 Oz shot of 80 proof spirits, a 12 Oz can of beer and a 4 oz glass of wine. Let guests ask for refills.
Avoid serving after dinner drinks (substitute coffee or another non-alcoholic beverage). And cut off drinks at least one hour before the party closes.
Recognize that drunkenness is neither healthy, humorous, nor safe. Don’t excuse otherwise unacceptable behavior just because someone had “too much to drink”. Accepting drunkenness encourages alcohol misuse.
If in spite of precautions your guests are impaired, assume responsibility for their safety. Consider driving them home yourself, calling a taxi or encouraging them to stay overnight.
Always have on hand a list of telephone numbers for emergency health care, police or taxis.
