By Deirdre Spilman
Assistant Opinion Editor
As a self-proclaimed mysophobe – or as they are more commonly known, germaphobes – I am never without access to hand sanitizer. Whether it is inside my backpack or attached to my keys, I have to be able to eliminate 99.9 percent of germs 100 percent of the time. Some teenagers in San Fernando Valley, Calif., feel the same way about this wonderful product.
However, it’s not for the same reasons.
In Southern California, there have been six cases of teenagers being hospitalized from drinking hand sanitizer in the last few months. Why? To reap the benefits of its 62 percent ethyl alcohol level, according to an April 24 USA Today article. Police officials are nervous these incidents will spark a trend amongst adolescents.
If teenagers are dumb enough to play follow the leader when it comes to this bizarre endeavor, I have little to no faith in my generation.
This has got to be one of the most ridiculous things I have ever heard. The slogan for Purell hand sanitizers is “Kills 99.99 percent of germs.” Why would anybody be ignorant enough to drink something that has killing capabilities? It’s like these teenagers were just asking to be hospitalized.
Although this is ridiculous, I cannot say I am completely surprised. This is the generation that does practically whatever the media says is cool. Remember the throngs of teenage girls getting pregnant after Jaime Lynn Spears made it the ‘in’ thing? After the birth of her child, tee pregnancy rates rose for the first time since 1991, according to a July 10, 2008 CNN article. Youths see celebrities on magazine covers and at clubs with drinks in hand. Teens are desperate to emulate those behaviors – even if they can only get the coveted buzz by way of Purell. What can I say? It’s Kim Kardashian’s world, and we are all just living in it.
Are these teens really that desperate to consume alcohol that they will drink cleaning products? Forget the obvious fact that it is illegal for people under 21 to have alcohol. Drinking hand sanitizer is stupid no matter what age you are.
If this keeps up, who’s to say people under 18 will still be able to buy hand sanitizer? By this time next year, consumers could be required to show photo identification when buying this harmful product just as they do when buying cigarettes, lighters and lottery tickets. Thanks to their stupidity, everyone could have to deal with the consequences. Hopefully, this kind of behavior will become eradicated before it has to come to this, but I would be willing to present ID if it means saving the lives of some ignorant teens.
Knowingly putting something harmful in your body is just plain stupid. And for what? The perks of having ethyl alcohol in your system and a gross taste left in your mouth? It seems to me the benefits definitely do not outweigh the consequences.
spilmadm10@bonaventure.edu.
