Éduc'alcool and the United Irish Societies celebrate St. Patrick's Day with a guide to promote moderation

MONTREAL, March 10, 2014 /CNW Telbec/ - With thousands of parade-goers due to line the streets of Canadian cities, next weekend, Éduc'alcool and the United Irish Societies are celebrating the event by introducing the 2014 St. Patrick's Day Survival Guide, intended to remind people who choose to drink to do so in moderation.

The guide will help people make the most of St. Patrick's Day festivities, while reminding them to pace themselves and refrain from drinking excessively at and around the parade and other celebrations and events.

"On St. Paddy's Day, we all become Irish; alcohol sales and consumption reach peak levels. Éduc'alcool has therefore joined forces with the United Irish Societies to help everyone enjoy a safe and pleasurable experience. Immersing yourself in all that's Irish is great fun, but emulating the drunken stereotype can really turn a brilliant day sour," commented Hubert Sacy, Éduc'alcool's Director General. 

"We all agree that alcohol has its rightful place at this time of celebration. Unfortunately, some people use the event as an excuse to drink excessively. We do not condone this behaviour and hope the Survival Guide, which promotes moderate drinking, will contribute to a safe and enjoyable day. Getting drunk, even just once, even on St. Patrick's Day, is once too often. No matter what the circumstances, moderation is always in good taste," added Sacy.

"The United Irish Societies is extremely happy to partner with Éduc'alcool to help spread the word about responsible drinking. We are so proud that people in general come out to celebrate all things Irish with us on St. Patrick's Day and on parade day. We ask only that everyone celebrates in a safe, healthy and responsible way," said Kevin Murphy, Vice President, Advertising & Public Relations, of the United Irish Societies. 

Éduc'alcool's tips for getting home safely

• Eat. And we mean more than a bag of chips between drinks. This is a feast day after all, so eat a decent meal before you start drinking.
  
  
• Round, round, baby...Not everyone drinks at the same pace so it's OK to skip a round or not have a drink at all. Try and limit rounds to 2 or 3 friends. And stop drinking when you've had enough.
  
  
• Water. It may not be the most exciting beverage, but a glass of water between alcoholic drinks will keep you refreshed and hydrated.
  
  
• Time. It's easy for one drink with your mates to turn into many more. Give yourself good reason not to spend the whole day drinking assorted green drinks. Make concrete plans for the next day, and pace yourself to make sure that you're ready to follow through on them.
  
  
• The morning after. Even after "sleeping it off," even after all the alcohol you've drunk has been metabolized by your body, even if your blood alcohol content is back to zero, you might still not be in full possession of your faculties. Can excessive drinking have extended your effects? You bet!

To download the guide, go to: <http://educalcool.qc.ca/stpaddy2014>

SOURCE: Éduc'alcool

For further information:

Vanessa Roland
Tact Intelligence-conseil
514 667-0196, ext. 405
Cell: 514 966-8963
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