Hangover shortcuts lead to the wrong destination

Quick-fix hangover cures only distract from learning how to develop healthy drinking habits.

A Manitoba company is touting the all-natural Clear Head, a pill designed to cure symptoms of hangovers. It’s not the first of its kind, but taking a pill before a night of drinking to prevent pain the morning after may become an unhealthy replacement for promoting moderation in drinking.

The all-natural label may be true, but an “all-natural” cure to make up for consuming large amounts of “un-natural” alcohol seems ironic. If we’re so concerned with harmless ingredients, a pill the next morning seems a little too late.

This pill is among the many hangover cures that emerge every year. But while there’s a market for them, they may perpetuate the wrong idea — especially to students already struggling with heavy campus drinking cultures.

If there’s a cure for feeling bad later, there’s one less reason not to get hammered tonight. That’s the opposite of how alcohol should be treated on campuses — with moderation in mind. 

That being said, for students wishing to have a fun night out while also being able to study the next day, having a pill that ensures they can do both doesn’t seem like such a bad idea.

Whether or not the pill lives up to its promise and students start using it, taking a shortcut to avoid the temporary pain of drinking is an unhealthy replacement for taking the longer and safer road to a healthy lifestyle that includes alcohol.

Our mindset around drinking culture should be one of safe drinking and a healthy lifestyle — not taking a pill to erase any pain the morning after.

— Journal Editorial Board