Every year on March 17th, people around the world gather in bars and streets to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. What started as a tribute to Ireland’s patron saint has turned into a day of heavy drinking, where parades and traditions take a backseat to overindulgence.
According to the Break The Cycle organization, in 2018, about 33% of residents killed in car crashes over the Irish holiday were intoxicated with a BAC over 0.08. Drunk driving incidents are prevalent when people don’t recognize the amount of alcohol they are consuming and putting into their organs and bodily systems.
St. Patrick’s Day, which is in celebration of the life of the Christian patron Saint Patrick, Irish Christians removed the restrictions associated with Lent on this day and threw large parties to commemorate his death. Beer drinking is especially important in Irish culture; therefore, large quantities of alcohol are consumed
Beverage stores see this increase in their St. Patrick’s Day sales. Beer sales increase by 174% on St. Patrick’s Day, while spirit sales increase by 153%. These percentages prove that there needs to be more warnings when people decide to binge drink.
Binge drinking is associated with an increased risk of alcohol-related injuries, liver disease, heart disease, and cancer. When it starts on a holiday, St Patrick’s Day, it is 63% likely for this pattern to continue over the following weekends, leading to long-term effects. Short-term effects, such as alcohol poisoning, are prevalent due to the trends of overdrinking, such as “Borgs,” a gallon-sized personalized alcoholic drink, containing a mixture of alcohol, flavorings, and sometimes electrolytes.
While Saint Patrick’s Day has increasingly become associated with excessive alcohol consumption and dangerous behaviors like binge drinking and drunk driving, the statistics surrounding alcohol-related accidents and sales spikes on this day underscore the growing need for public awareness and preventative measures. Encouraging responsible drinking habits and promoting safer ways to celebrate can help ensure that St. Patrick’s Day remains a joyful and meaningful occasion rather than one marked by preventable harm.
