Borg is the latest drinking game that is sweeping across US campuses and TikTok feeds, but experts have warned that it is dangerous. But what is a borg?
Binge drinking is a rite of passage for most teenagers, especially those living on campus, but health professionals are warning the latest binge drinking trend making the rounds on TikTok is very dangerous.
For those readers who have graduated college, you will be forgiven for not knowing what the kids are up to these days and what is trending. So, keep reading to find out what a borg drink is and why it is dangerous.
What is a borg drink?
A new college drinking trend is making its way around TikTok and it has become known as the borg.
The name is short for “blackout rage gallon” and it sees students mixing a half-gallon of water with a half-gallon of alcohol (usually vodka) and an electrolyte flavor enhancer.
The hashtag #borg has garnered more than 74.7 million views on TikTok.
How did the borg start trending?
The borg drinking method started trending on TikTok after a video was posted on 5 February 2023. It currently has more than 3.3 million views. In the video, which is a stitch of TikTok user Bellaaalonzo’s borg recipe, the borg is commended for its water-to-booze ratio, ability to be closed with a lid, and Liquid I.V. ingredient.
The reason the trend most likely became popular with Gen Z is that it is an easy way to get drunk with ingredients that are easily available, that also taste good. The borg is also said to keep you hydrated because of the electrolyte enhancer.
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Another helpful feature of a borg is that it comes with a lid and a handle. This means you will always know what’s in your drink and therefore will make you feel safer.
TikTok user Erin.monroe_ also shared her insight on the borg trend by talking about the gallon-jug mixed drink as a harm reduction strategy.
Why is it dangerous?
However, not everyone is on board with the safety aspect of the new drinking trend. Health experts have said that the new drinking trend is “extremely dangerous” because it promotes binge drinking.
Sarah O’Brien, an addiction specialist, told Yahoo that: “I can’t find an upside to it. I don’t think mixing a gallon of liquor with a mixer is good for any communities, especially younger generations.”
Many students have been sharing the ratios they use to make their borg and experts have questioned how much alcohol they are using.
“As with any other vehicle for consuming alcohol, the risks will primarily depend on how much alcohol a person consumes and how quickly they consume it,” explains Dr. George F. Koob, the director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism at the National Institutes of Health.
Koob has said he has seen recipes that call for half a gallon of vodka and according to him “Consuming this much alcohol would be fatal for the vast majority of people, even if spread out over a full day.”
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