Motiv8 Addiction Services has received a number of calls from concerned individuals about the NekNominate craze which is currently sweeping the internet.

 

NekNominate is a drinking game which encourages Facebook users to ‘down’ a pint of mostly alcoholic drinks then nominate a friend.

The Manx Independent highlighted the issue last week as schools, the police and health authorities warned about it.

Thea Ozenturk, director of Motiv8 (formerly called the Alcohol Advisory Service), said: ‘The power of the internet in seeing this phenomenon spread across the globe has taken us all by surprise.

‘It is worrying that peer pressure is being added to this activity [and] that those who don’t take on the challenge are at risk of being ridiculed by their peers.

‘Participants should remember that as well as putting their health in danger, video footage of their exploits could come back to haunt them as prospective employers often look at Facebook to get an overview of job candidates. Also, if the activity led on to an arrest, an alcohol-related conviction can impact on travelling to certain countries. Article Link…