Officers will especially be on the look out for BORGs, an ancronym for “Blackout Rage Gallons,” during Sunday’s parade. It starts at 11:30 a.m.
“We will have zero tolerance for public drinking out there,” Police Commissioner Michael Cox said. “This is a wonderful event. It’s a family-friendly event, but the expectations are, it’s not a drink fest.”
A gallon jug and vodka mixed with other liquids are needed for a BORG. photo illustration
Authorities made several arrests, and summonsed others to court, related to disorderly conduct and fighting during the event.
Here’s what to know about BORGs.
BORGs – gallon jugs typically filled with alcohol mixed water and caffeine or electrolytes- have become increasingly popular over the last few years among college students at larger gatherings. Students often decorate containers by naming their BORGs with puns (Borgalicous, Star Borgs, Ruth Bader Ginsborg).
But doctors say they can cause serious health effects.
Dr. Lauren Rice, an attending physician and chief of pediatric emergency medicine at Tufts Medical Center, said she sees a lot of BORG consumption in Boston during St. Patricks Day.
“In the emergency department, we see the after effects of the consumption,” Rice said. “So excessive alcohol intake leading to things like injury, falls, head trauma, assault.”
While some students believe the added water or electrolytes can reduce harm, Rice said the amount of alcohol consumed in a BORG makes it dangerous.
“It tends to be entirely too much alcohol for any one person to ingest,” she said. “The risk of consuming that much alcohol is far outweighed by any potential benefit of adding in a little extra water or electrolyte.”
She added that alcohol consumption can be especially harmful for young adults whose brains are still developing. However, the immediate concerns remains to be safety.
“Our brains still develop until we’re about 25 years old, and so any alcohol consumption at that young age can definitely have an impact on your brain development,” Rice said.
City officials said the main reason towards the zero tolerance policy are underage drinking and public drinking being against the law.
“Being underage and being youthful, poor decisions that they make, it’s just not a good combination,” Cox said to the Globe at the conference.
Kai Hamazaki, 22, a senior at Northeastern University, said putting a restriction on BORGs might end up backfiring.
“When you announce an outright ban, it kind of encourages people to do it more,” Hamazaki said while walking around his campus. “The repercussions can even be bigger. So I’m curious to see what will happen.”
Matthew Eviston, 19, a business administration student Northeastern University, said Boston takes the danger posed by BORGs pretty seriously. However, it has turned into a running joke for Boston students, Eviston said.
“That doesn’t really stop any students from using them,” Eviston said while on his way to lunch with friends. “They’re still a big thing every year and I think it helps bolster a good sense of community.”
Eviston said he will be attending the parade of Sunday, just not with a BORG.
Cox said the goal is not to stop celebration but to ensure the parade remains safe and respectful for residents of South Boston.
“Come enjoy the city, enjoy the events, the food and all things associated with it,” the commissioner said to the Globe. “But don’t come to be disruptive in our city, to drink in excess or do anything in excess, and certainly no violence of any kind. It won’t be tolerated.”
Aayushi Datta can be reached at [email protected].
